Skip to main content
Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Geological History of the World's Oceanic Crust (NCEI Accession 0304215)

browse graphicPreview graphic
This dataset contains four companion digital models of the age, age uncertainty, spreading rates and spreading asymmetries of the world's ocean basins as geographic and Mercator grids with two-minute resolution. The grids include data from all the major ocean basins as well as detailed reconstructions of back-arc basins.

NCEI decommissioned the Geological History of the World's Oceanic Crust in May 2025 with no further updates. Comments and questions may be sent to: ncei.info@noaa.gov.
  • Cite as: Müller, R. Deitmar; Sdrolias, Maria; Gaina, Carmen; Roest, Walter R. (2025). Geological History of the World's Oceanic Crust (NCEI Accession 0304215). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/r1pv-n260. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0304215
Full Text · XML
Download Data
  • HTTPS (download)
    Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
  • FTP (download)
    These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).
Distribution Formats
  • netCDF (Version: netCDF-3)
    • File Specification: CF-1.0, COARDS
  • ASCII
  • TIFF
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 1997-01-01 to 2007-01-01
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -180
East: 180
South: -90
North: 90
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Müller, R. D., Sdrolias, M., Gaina, C., & Roest, W. R. (2008). Age, spreading rates, and spreading asymmetry of the world’s ocean crust. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.1029/2007gc001743
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2025-05-14
  • creation: 2025-05-12
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose These new set of grids helps to investigate prominent negative depth anomalies, which may be alternatively related to subducted slab material descending in the mantle or to asthenospheric flow. A combination of our digital grids and the associated relative and absolute plate motion model with seismic tomography and mantle convection model outputs represents a valuable set of tools to investigate geodynamic problems.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Müller, R. Deitmar; Sdrolias, Maria; Gaina, Carmen; Roest, Walter R. (2025). Geological History of the World's Oceanic Crust (NCEI Accession 0304215). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/r1pv-n260. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Collaborators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Points of Contact
Publishers
Theme keywords NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Provider Keywords
  • seafloor age
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords Provider Platform Names
  • model output
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords Provider Instruments
  • ship-based magnetometer
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Keywords Send2NCEI Submission Package ID
  • E7X6LU
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Müller, R. Deitmar; Sdrolias, Maria; Gaina, Carmen; Roest, Walter R. (2025). Geological History of the World's Oceanic Crust (NCEI Accession 0304215). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/r1pv-n260. Accessed [date].
Data License
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2025-05-14T19:34:36Z - NCEI Accession 0304215 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: seafloor age (measured); Units: million years; Observation Category: model output; Sampling Instrument: ship-based magnetometer; Sampling and Analyzing Method: The age, spreading rate, and asymmetry at each grid node is determined by linear interpolation between adjacent seafloor isochrons in the direction of spreading. Ages for ocean floor between the oldest identified magnetic anomalies and continental crust are interpolated by geological estimates of the ages of passive continental margin segments.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • magnetometer
Last Modified: 2026-06-08T13:23:10Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov