Perpetual Ocean [hd video]

To download this video or to watch it in full go to: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?3827

This visualization shows ocean surface currents around the world during the period from June 2005 through Decmeber 2007.

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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Comments and faves

  1. ★

    U.S. Embassy Montevideo, ♫ Lion ♫, Edwaste, damian5d, and 436 other people added this video to their favorites.

  2. ♫ Lion ♫ (14 months ago | reply)

    The Gulf Stream...Fantastic!

  3. Unlucky_Alf [deleted] (14 months ago | reply)

    Excellent visualisation.

  4. cjh44 (14 months ago | reply)

    The mind boggles!!

  5. Fabio Rage (14 months ago | reply)

    Spectacular! Thanks for sharing!!!

  6. dodagp (14 months ago | reply)

    Dazzling work and video !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. The Bacher Family (14 months ago | reply)

    Very cool, except it cuts off just as it gets to my part of the world (the Pacific Northwest coast)!

  8. thomasnguyencom (14 months ago | reply)

    Just me or is this reminiscent of a Van Gogh?

  9. countertext (14 months ago | reply)

    Does Madagascar actually create vortices that travel around southern Africa and across the Atlantic? Is that what I'm seeing?

  10. Jeremy Stockwell (14 months ago | reply)

    Amazing!

  11. Salaatti (14 months ago | reply)

    Excellent video.

  12. edmeeolinger (14 months ago | reply)

    Super information and nice as well

  13. sudamericanas (14 months ago | reply)

    It's like a Van Gogh's paint!!

  14. live.dangerously (14 months ago | reply)

    So awesome!!!!!!

  15. laurpud (14 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful & so fascinating!

  16. ssjs_2000 (14 months ago | reply)

    That is so nice, I watched it several times :0))

  17. grantmr (14 months ago | reply)

    Australia? :(

  18. bombarie (14 months ago | reply)

    Now that's pretty.

  19. holmsc83 (14 months ago | reply)

    Well boo, I live in Oregon and I never got to see anything about the currents near us. Would have loved to see the entire globe.

  20. studioforcreativeinquiry (14 months ago | reply)

    Terrific! But I was a little disappointed the Great Pacific Gyre (garbage patch) wasn't shown/called out.

  21. Photron2008 (14 months ago | reply)

    fantástico! impressionante composição

  22. curiobox nz (14 months ago | reply)

    @studioforcreativeinquiry What. Why would they show that?

  23. menabunny (14 months ago | reply)

    Absolutely love this, but I wish there were just a little bit, here and there, describing or explaining what is happening. Do I see hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico, contributing factors, possibly?

  24. springhudson (14 months ago | reply)

    Love it!

  25. lukasztyrala (14 months ago | reply)

    Amazing!

  26. greg450318 (14 months ago | reply)

    Same thought when I first saw it, 'Starry Night' in motion.

  27. Leandro Wieczorek (14 months ago | reply)

    Doesn´t show South America. :/ Just the part I want to see.

  28. gettingback2basics (14 months ago | reply)

    I knew ocean currents were complex because of glacier runoff and rivers etc., but this.... (forgets to blink for a while)

  29. gettingback2basics (14 months ago | reply)

    Needs an auto replay feature :)

  30. ladybluedevil (14 months ago | reply)

    Really cool stuff! Did you use line integral convolution to visualize the ECCO2 currents? I am a scientist interested in genetic connectivity of marine animals in the Indo-Pacific - I would really love to see this entire time series played out for the area surrounding the Indonesian Throughflow. Too bad there aren't more technical comments for those of us who might actually use this for science!

  31. TamzinKay (14 months ago | reply)

    Yes swirly swirly sea like Van Gogh's starry starry night -everything in perpetual motion including us ! Stunning way for people to see natural forces at work

  32. mchue (14 months ago | reply)

    Psalm 8:8

  33. dogsgomoo (14 months ago | reply)

    Click through to the Scientific Visualization Studio. They have a lot more meat over there as well as links to the data sets and who the scientists were that collaborated on it. The Flickr posts tend to be eye candy ... but it's such stunningly awesome eye candy. ;)

  34. cyndiwise (14 months ago | reply)

    All I see is a black screen - nothing displays. :-(
    Hmm, to post this comment I had to create a Flickr account and THEN I could see the video. Why doesn't it tell you that in the first place?

  35. dogsgomoo (14 months ago | reply)

    I don't think the issue had to do with not having an account. I checked this page on another machine where I was not signed in and the video plays. Maybe a browser plugin/setting that prevents playing video/music form untrusted sites or sites that you aren't logged into?

  36. jomags (14 months ago | reply)

    what causes those currents and those swirls?

  37. piggyiscute9 (14 months ago | reply)

    Could those swirls come from the inner and outer continental shelves?

  38. Modulatepics (14 months ago | reply)

    Outstanding work. Honestly, how I imagined the currents moved and how they do are two completely different things. I pay the highest compliment when I say this actually changed, in a small but significant way, my view of how the world works.

  39. Emma Crameri (14 months ago | reply)

    Where's Australia?

  40. fabcatfat (13 months ago | reply)

    Where's the North Pacific Gyre?

  41. fabcatfat (13 months ago | reply)

    Basically the heat from the sun causing temperature differences.

  42. cubanver2010 (11 months ago | reply)

    maravilloso gracias

  43. rozella3 (11 months ago | reply)

    Excellent

  44. vladimir DGama (11 months ago | reply)

    No No we do not want to followed you in any other place only in wwww.flickr.com
    the video much edited
    from Ceo Vladimir dgama
    upload video of recent happending -

  45. GeBorZa (10 months ago | reply)

    Yes swirly swirly sea like Van Gogh's starry starry night -everything in perpetual motion including us !камин из мрамора Stunning way for people to see natural forces at work

  46. aletieri (9 months ago | reply)

    wow

  47. Dummy Accedo 01 (8 months ago | reply)

    aaaa

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