FN Archimer Export Format
PT J
TI Contribution of a constellation of two wide-swath altimetry missions to global ocean analysis and forecasting
BT 
AF BENKIRAN, Mounir
   LE TRAON, Pierre-Yves
   DIBARBOURE, Gerald
AS 1:1;2:1,2;3:3;
FF 1:;2:PDG-ODE;3:;
C1 Mercator-Ocean International, 31400 Toulouse, France
   Ifremer, 29280 Plouzané, France
   Centre National d'Études Spatiales, 31400 Toulouse, France
C2 MERCATOR OCEAN, FRANCE
   IFREMER, FRANCE
   CNES, FRANCE
SI MERCATOR
SE PDG-ODE
IN WOS Ifremer UPR
   DOAJ
   copubli-france
IF 3.2
TC 1
UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00770/88211/93767.pdf
   https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00770/88211/93768.pdf
LA English
DT Article
AB Swath altimetry is likely to revolutionize our ability to monitor and forecast ocean dynamics. To meet the requirements of the EU Copernicus Marine Service, a constellation of two wide-swath altimeters is envisioned for the long-term (post-2030) evolution of the Copernicus Sentinel 3 topography mission. A series of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) is carried out to quantify the expected performances. The OSSEs use a state-of-the-art high-resolution (1/12 degrees) global ocean data assimilation system similar to the one used operationally by the Copernicus Marine Service. Flying a constellation of two wide-swath altimeters will provide a major improvement of our capabilities to monitor and forecast the oceans. Compared to the present situation with three nadir altimeters flying simultaneously, the sea surface height (SSH) analysis and 7 d forecast error are globally reduced by about 50 % in the OSSEs. With two wide-swath altimeters, the quality of SSH 7 d forecasts is equivalent to the quality of SSH analysis errors from three nadir altimeters. Our understanding of ocean currents is also greatly improved (30 % improvements at the surface and 50 % at 300 m depth). The resolution capabilities will be drastically improved and will be closer to 100 km wavelength compared to about 250 km today. Flying a constellation of two wide-swath altimeters thus looks to be a very promising solution for the long-term evolution of the Sentinel 3 constellation and the Copernicus Marine Service. 
PY 2022
PD MAY
SO Ocean Science
SN 1812-0784
PU Copernicus Gesellschaft Mbh
VL 18
IS 3
UT 000790762600001
BP 609
EP 625
DI 10.5194/os-18-609-2022
ID 88211
ER

EF