ECCO-2 employs the MITgcm in a near-global domain (78S~78N). Model resolution is 1º horizontally except within the tropics where meridional resolution gradually decreases to 0.3-deg within 10-deg of the Equator. There are 46 levels in the vertical with 10m-resolution within 150m of the surface. (Total grid dimension is 360*224*46 = 4*10^6.) The GM isentropic mixing scheme (Gent and McWilliams, 1990) and the KPP mixed-layer formulation (Large et al., 1994) are employed. The model is forced by NCEP reanalysis products (12-hourly wind stress, daily diabatic air-sea fluxes) with time-means replaced by those of COADS. Temperature and salinity at the model sea surface are further relaxed towards observed values.
Model fields are available at 10-day intervals (10-day averages). Sea level and ocean bottom pressure are also available at 12-hour intervals (instantaneous values).