TOPEX/Poseidon-Jason Comparison and Combination off Nova Scotia

Abstract

Sea level observations from the tandem TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) and Jason-1 altimetry missions (2002–2003) are used to study characteristics of sea level and surface currents over the Scotian Shelf and Slope off Nova Scotia. The consistency and error characteristics of T/P and Jason-1 measurements are examined not only in terms of sea level and cross-track current anomalies but also with respect to current anomalies at crossovers, kinematic properties associated with Gulf Stream warm core rings (WCR), and the shelf-edge current transport. Nominal absolute currents are constructed by adding the altimetric geostrophic current anomalies to an annual-mean model circulation field. The concurrent frontal analysis data are analyzed for occurrence of the WCRs and associated kinematic properties are derived from altimetric current anomalies. The comparison of the sea level and cross-track current anomalies from January to July 2002 shows overall good agreement between T/P and Jason, with correlation coefficients different from zero at the 5% significance level at essentially all locations for sea level and at most locations for currents. The cross-track geostrophic current anomalies from January to July 2002 and from September 2002 to December 2003 are further used to calculate the root-mean-square (rms) current magnitude, and the normalized relative vorticity associated with WCRs. The altimetric currents are consistent with each other and complementary to frontal analysis data in deriving the properties of the WCRs. The rms current magnitude is ∼55 cm/s and the normalized relative vorticity is ∼0.15. The model-altimetry combined absolute currents are used to estimate near-surface transport associated with the shelf-edge current, showing good correlation between T/P and Jason estimates and strong seasonal changes. The current anomalies derived from altimetry and moored measurements are significantly (at the 5% significance level) correlated and comparable in the rms magnitude.

Keywords:

• altimeter comparison
• sea level
• currents
• eddies
• satellite altimetry
• Scotian Shelf and Slope

Acknowledgments

I thank J. Li for assistance in data analyses, R. Pettipas for providing the frontal analysis data, and J. Loder and Y. Geshelin for providing the ADCP and current meter data. The project was funded through the Offshore Environmental Factor Program of the Federal Program for Energy, Research and Development (PERD), the Climate Change Impacts on the Energy Sector Program of PERD, and the GRIP Fund of the Canadian Space Agency. T/P data were obtained from NASA Jet Propulsion Lab and Pathfinder Project.