Resources

Yearly estimates of near-global upper ocean heat content and thermosteric sea level between 1960 - 2025, depth-integrated over 0-300 m and 0-700 m for 65N-65S

Data set information

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General  
Data holding centreBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
CountryUnited Kingdom  United Kingdom
Time period1960-2025 with 3-year smoothing
OngoingNo
Geographical area

Near-global (65N-65S)

Observations 
Parameters

Transport in the water column

Description 
Summary

This dataset provides yearly estimates of near-global (65N-65S) ocean heat content and thermosteric sea-level depth-integrated for the upper 300 and 700 metres of the ocean for 1960 - 2025. The yearly values are presented with three-year smoothing and one-sigma error estimates. The dataset builds upon and updates the methodology established in Domingues et al. (2008, Nature), incorporating temperature measurements from ocean observation systems and applying corrections for instrumental biases and sampling irregularities. To estimate ocean heat content and the associated thermosteric sea level, we used ocean temperature profiles from the ENACT/ENSEMBLES version 3 (EN3) data set (1970-2004), and Argo/Ifremer profiling floats (2000-2025, updated January 2026). Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) were used to model variability of the time-varying sea level and were calculated from 23 years (1993–2015) of satellite altimeter data sourced from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) - (TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2 and Jason-3). Current version 3 reflects an updated time period from previous submitted version.

OriginatorsBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
References

Domingues, C., Church, J., White, N., Gleckler, P.J, Wijffels, S.E., Barker, P.A., Dunn, J.R. (2008) Improved estimates of upper-ocean warming and multi-decadal sea-level rise, Nature

Data web sitehttps://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/published_data_library/catalogue/10.5285/4e025925-dc1f-3753-e063-7086abc01cce/
Availability 
OrganisationBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
AvailabilityLicence
ContactPolly Hadžiabdić (Enquiries Officer)
Address

British Oceanographic Data Centre
Joseph Proudman Building 6 Brownlow Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L3 5DA
United Kingdom

Emailenquiries@bodc.ac.uk
Administration 
Collating centreBritish Oceanographic Data Centre
Local identifier1048_global_ocean_heat_content
Global identifier7381
Last revised2026-04-21