Determination of the ocean circulation using Geosat altimetry

Journal Article · Thu Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC095iC03p03163· OSTI ID:5031344

Nerem, R S; Tapley, B D; Shum, C K ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin (United States)

A spherical harmonic model of the sea surface topography complete to degree and order 10 and a model of the Earth's geopotential field complete to degree and order 50 have been obtained in a simultaneous solution using Geosat altimeter data and tracking data from 14 different satellites. The sea surface topography model compares well with oceanographic models computed using hydrographic data and ship drift data. Currently, errors in the estimated gravity field model limit the determination of the spherical harmonic coefficients of the general ocean circulation to degrees 10 and lower, corresponding to a minimum wavelength of 4,000 km. Error analysis indicates that the correlation between the geoid and the sea surface topography model is less than 0.2, indicating good separation of the geoid and the sea surface topography at wavelengths of 4,000 km or longer. Estimates of the scale factor for the significant wave height (H{sub 1/3}), which is used to compute the electromagnetic bias correction and the bias for the Geosat altimeter, are obtained. The estimate of the H{sub 1/3} correction is 3.6 {plus minus} 1.5%, and the height bias estimate is zero.

• OSTI ID: 5031344
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 95:C3; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540310* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
ALTIMETERS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CURRENTS
DIMENSIONS
EVALUATION
FLOW RATE
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
GRAVITY WAVES
HEIGHT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OCEANIC CIRCULATION
PERFORMANCE
REMOTE SENSING
SATELLITES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SURFACES
TOPOGRAPHY
WATER CURRENTS
WATER WAVES