GlobCurrent : Multisensor synergy for surface current estimation

Johannessen, JA, Chapron, B, Collard, F, Rio, MH, Piollé, JF, Gaultier, L, Quartly, G, Shutler, J, Escola, R, Raj, R, Donlon, C, Danielson, R, Korosov, A, Nencioli, F, Kudryavtsev, V, Roca, M, Tournadre, J, Larnicol, G, Guitton, G, Miller, PI, Warren, M and Hansen, M 2016 GlobCurrent : Multisensor synergy for surface current estimation. In: Living Planet Symposium 2016, Prague, 9-13 May 2016. Proceedings of Living Planet Symposium 2016, ESA.

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Abstract/Summary

The GlobCurrent project (http://www.globcurrent.org) aims to: (i) advance the quantitative estimation of ocean surface currents from satellite sensor synergy; and (ii) demonstrate impact in user-led scientific, operational and commercial applications that, in turn, will improve and strengthen the uptake of satellite measurements. It is often demonstrated that sharp gradients in the sea surface temperature (SST) and current fields and the ocean surface chlorophyll-a distribution are spatially correlated with the sea surface roughness anomaly fields at small spatial scales, in the sub-mesocale (1-10 km) to the mesoscale (30-80 km). At the larger mesoscale range (>50 km), information derived from radar altimeters often depict the presence of coherent structures and eddies. The variability often appears largest in regions where the intense surface current regimes (>100 - 200 km) are found. These 2dimensional structures manifested in the satellite observations represent evidence of the upper ocean (~100-200 m) dynamics. Whereas the quasi geostrophic assumption is valid for the upper ocean dynamics at the larger scale (>100 km), possible triggering mechanisms for the expressions at the mesoscale-to-submesoscale may include spiraling tracers of inertial motion and the interaction of the wind-driven Ekman layer with the quasi-geostrophic current field. This latter, in turn, produces bands of downwelling (convergence) and upwelling (divergence) near fronts. A regular utilization of the sensor synergy approach with the combination of Sentinel-3, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 together with other satellite missions will provide a highly valuable data set for further research and development to better relate the 2-dimensional surface expressions and the upper ocean dynamics.

Item Type: Publication - Conference Item (Paper)
Additional Keywords: Currents
Subjects: Earth Observation - Remote Sensing
Oceanography
Divisions: Plymouth Marine Laboratory > Science Areas > Earth Observation Science and Applications
Depositing User: Graham Quartly
Date made live: 17 Nov 2016 11:35
Last Modified: 06 Jun 2017 16:17
URI: https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/7270

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