A new gravity map, a new marine geoid around Japan and the detection of the Kuroshio current

Abstract.

About half a million marine gravity measurements over a 30^∘×30^∘ area centered on Japan have been processed and adjusted to produce a new free-air gravity map from a 5′×5′ grid. This map seems to have a better resolution than those previously published as measured by its correlation with bathymetry. The grid was used together with a high-degree and -order spherical harmonics geopotential model to compute a detailed geoid with two methods: Stokes integral and collocation. Comparisons with other available geoidal surfaces derived either from gravity or from satellite altimetry were made especially to test the ability of this new geoid at showing the sea surface topography as mapped by the Topex/Poseidon satellite. Over 2 months (6 cycles) the dynamic topography at ascending passes in the region (23^∘47^∘N and 123^∘147^∘E) was mapped to study the variability of the Kuroshio current.