Assembly

The latest version of the GESLA dataset is Version 3.0. The compilation of GESLA-3 is described in detail in Haigh et al. (2021). Below we include a short summary. 

Data sources

We obtained the higher-frequency sea-level dataset for GESLA-3 from 36 international and national data providers, listed in the Table below. For five of the 36 sources within GESLA-3 (i.e., UHSLC, NOAA, NHS, MI_C and MI_R), we downloaded the data automatically and rapidly via an API (Application Programming Interface). For the NHS dataset, we combined the more recent data since the late 1980’s, download via API, with historical data going back as far as 1915, that were provided to us directly. For 25 of the 36 sources, we manually downloaded the data from provider websites. For the remaining six sources (i.e., DA, DMI, NOC, ESEAS, ICG and UZ), we obtained the data directly from the provider or copied the data from GESLA-2 (when updates were not available). 

Data processing

The sea-level dataset we obtained from the 36 providers have differing units, time zones and formats, and quality control flags are variously defined. We converted height units to metres, the time zone of each record was adjusted to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), we matched the specific data provider quality control flags to our defined GESLA flags, and we processed the records into a standard format (see here). In most instances, we did not adjust the frequency of the station records, which in all cases was at least hourly, although several sources have data at higher-frequency (15, 10 or 6 minutes).

NumberAbbreviated nameFull nameCountryDownload methodNo. of recordsNo. of years
1UHSLCUniversity of Hawaii Sea level CenterGlobalDownloaded each record automatically via API (ERDDAP server)69217843
2NOAANational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationUnited States of AmericaDownloaded each record automatically via API139514884
3CMEMSCopernicus Marine Environment Monitoring ServiceEuropeDownload netcdf files from ftp site5909753
4MEDSMarine Environmental Data SectionCanadaDownloaded each record manually from website (in 10-year blocks)8688761
5USGSUnited States Geological SurveyUnited States of AmericaDownloaded each record manually from website4645314
6BOMBureau of MeteorologyAustralia and Pacific IslandsObtained directly from BOM1254603
7RWSRijkswaterstaatThe NetherlandsDownloaded each record manually from website1244482
8JODC_JMAJapan Oceanographic Data Center, Japan Meteorological AgencyJapanDownloaded each site manually from website (in 10-year blocks)813475
9SMHISwedish Meteorological and Hydrological InstituteSwedenManually downloaded each record from website.632547
10REFMARRéseaux de référence des observations marégraphiques (Reference networks for tidal observations)FranceDownloaded each record manually from website1082479
11BODCBritish Oceanographic Data CentreUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandDownloaded each record manually from website461879
12CDWRCalifornia Department of Water ResourcesUnited States of AmericaDownloaded each record manually from website981877
13JODC_JCGJapan Oceanographic Data Center, Japan Coast GuardJapan, AntarcticaDownloaded each record manually from website311667
14NHSNorwegian Hydrographic ServiceNorwayDownloaded each record automatically via API and combined with historic data obtained directly241503
15JODC_GIAJJapan Oceanographic Data Center, Geospatial Information Authority of JapanJapanDownloaded each record manually from website251402
16WSVWasserstraßen-und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes (Federal Waterway and Shipping Administration)GermanyDownloaded each record manually from website661262
17JODC_PAHBJapan Oceanographic Data Center, Ports and Harbours BureauJapanDownloaded each record manually from website701117
18SFWMDSouth Florida Water Management DistrictUnited States of AmericaDownloaded each record manually from website341090
19ISPRAInstituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research)ItalyDownloaded each record manually from website36926
20IEOInstituto Español de Oceanografía (Spanish Istitute of Oceanography)SpainDownloaded each record manually from website12714
21DAData ArchelogyUnited States of America, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandObtained directly from authors29685
22UNAMNational Autonomous University of MexicoMexicoDownloaded each record manually from website35663
23FMIFinnish Meteorological InstituteFinlandDownloaded each record manually from website (in 15-year blocks)14657
24DMIDanish Meteorological InstituteDenmarkData obtained directly3331
25BFGBundesanstalt Für Gewässerkunde(Federal Institute of Hydrology)GermanyData obtained directly5242
26MI_CMarine Institute (Coastal sites)IrelandDownloaded each record automatically via API (ERDDAP server)21182
27CCOCoastal Channel ObservatoryUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandDownloaded each record manually from website15173
28NOCNational Oceanography CentreUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Egypt, UkraineData obtained directly7137
29NWFWMDNorth West Florida Water Management DepartmentUnited States of AmericaDownloaded each record manually from website9100
30ESEASEuropean Sea-Level ServicePoland, Turkey, CroatiaCopied from GESLA2563
31ICGIcelandic Coast Guard Hydrographic and Maritime Safety DepartmentIcelandData obtained directly151
32UZUniversity of ZagrebCroatiaData obtained directly144
33NCDEMNorth Carolina Department of Emergency ManagementUnited States of AmericaDownloaded each record manually from website1039
34CVCity of Venice, Tide Forecasts and Reporting CenterItalyDownloaded manually from website138
35MI_RMarine Institute (River Sites)IrelandAutomatically load in data using ERDDAP932
36GLOSSGlobal Sea Level Observing SystemGreenlandCopied from GESLA226
––– – –511991021