Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduction and Assessment of Improved Coastal Altimetry Strategies: Case Study over the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Coastal Altimetry

Abstract

Improved coastal altimetry strategies are validated over the northwestern Mediterranean Sea with tide gauge (TG) records. Cross-comparisons made with a standard altimetric product highlight significant qualitative and quantitative improvements. The data processed by improved methods are able to detect smaller dynamical processes compared to the standard altimetric products. Lastly, the improved datasets allow us to recover additional coastal data, principally closer to the coast. The improved altimetric data have been used to monitor the Liguro-Provençal-Catalan current coastal dynamics in the Gulf of Lion. For the first time, we have both altimetric and sea surface temperature (SST) observations of intrusions impinging on the continental shelf following a strong southeasterly wind event, which are consistent with past studies based on numerical simulations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 179.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 229.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    See http://www.aviso.oceanobs.com/en/data/products/sea-surface-height-products/regional/index.html

  2. 2.

    Refer to http://earth.esa.int/dataproducts

  3. 3.

    Refer to http://www.deos.tudelft.nl/ers/operorbs/node10.html for a more detailed definition

  4. 4.

    All the correlations shown in this paper are at a 95 % significance level

Abbreviations

ADT:

Absolute Dynamic Topography

ALBICOCCA:

Altimeter-Based Investigations in COrsica, Capraia and Contiguous Area

ASI:

Agenzia Spaziale Italiana

AVHRR:

Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer

AVISO:

Archiving, Validation and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic data

CTD:

Conductivity-Temperature-Depth

CNES:

Centre National d’Étude Spatiale

CTOH:

Centre de Topographie des Océans et de l’Hydrosphère

DFG:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

DH:

Dynamic Height

DUACS:

Data Unification and Altimeter Combination System

ECMWF:

European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts

ESA:

European Space Agency

FES:

Finite element solution

GDR:

Geophysical Data Record

GFO:

Geosat Follow-On

GOT:

Goddard ocean tide

GVA:

Geostrophic Velocity Anomaly

IB:

Inverted barometer

IMEDEA:

Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats

IMP:

IMprovement Percentage

ISPRA:

Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale

J1:

Jason-1

JPL:

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

LEGOS:

Laboratoire d’Études en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales

LPC:

Liguro provençal Catalan

LSER:

Large-scale error reduction

MDT:

Mean Dynamic Topography

MOG2D:

Modèle aux Ondes de Gravité 2-Dimensions

MWR:

Microwave radiometer

MSS:

Mean sea surface

NASA:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NCEP:

National Centres for Environmental Prediction

NP:

Normal point

NWM:

Northwestern Mediterranean

OCOG:

Offset Centre of Gravity

OSU:

Ohio State University

PODAAC:

Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Centre

RADS:

Radar Altimeter Database System

RECOSETO:

Regional COastal Sea level change and sea surface Topography from altimetry, Oceanography, and tide gauge stations in Europe

RGDR:

Retracked Geophysical Data Record

RMS:

Root mean square

SGDR:

Sensor Geophysical Data Record

SLA:

Sea level anomaly

SONEL:

Système d’Observation du Niveau des Eaux Littorales

SSALTO:

Segment Sol multimissions d’ALTimétrie, d’Orbitographie et de localisation précise

SSH:

Sea surface height

SST:

Sea surface temperature

T/P:

TOPEX/Poseidon

TG:

Tide gauge

T-UGOm:

Toulouse Unstructured Grid Ocean model

References

  • Anzenhofer M, Shum CK, Rentsh M (1999) Coastal altimetry and applications, Tech. Rep. n. 464, Geodetic Science and Surveying, The Ohio State University Columbus, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Astraldi M, Balopoulos S, Candela J, Font J, Gacic M, Gasparini GP, Mamap B, Theocharis A, Tintoré J (1999) The role of straits and channels in understanding the characteristics of Mediterranean circulation. Prog Oceanogr 44:65–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Auclair F, Marsaleix P, De Mey P (2003) Space–time structure and dynamics of the forecast error in a coastal circulation model of the Gulf of Lions. Dyn Atms Ocean 36:309–346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub N, Le Traon PY, De Mey P (1998) A description of the Mediterranean surface variable circulation from combined ERS-1 and T/P altimetric data. J Mar Syst 18(1–3):3–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouffard J (2007) Amélioration de l’altimétrie côtière appliquée à l’étude de la circulation dans la partie nord du bassin occidental méditerranéen (in French). PhD thesis under the supervision of Y. Ménard and P. De Mey

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouffard J, Roblou L, Ménard Y, Marsaleix P, De Mey P (2006) Observing the ocean variability in the western Mediterranean sea by using coastal multi-satellite data and Models. In: Proceedings of the symposium on 15 years of progress in radar altimetry, 13–18 March 2006, Venice, Italy (ESA SP-614, July 2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouffard J, Vignudelli S, Herrmann M, Lyard F, Marsaleix P, Ménard Y, Cipollini P (2008a) Comparison of ocean dynamics with a regional circulation model and improved altimetry in the North-western Mediterranean. Terr Atmos Ocean Sci 19:117–133. doi:10.3319/TAO.2008.19.1-2.117(SA)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouffard J, Vignudelli S, Cipollini P, Menard Y (2008b) Exploiting the potential of an improved multimission altimetric data set over the coastal ocean. Geophys Res Lett 35:L10601. doi:10.1029/2008GL033488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown GS (1977) Average impulse response of a rough surfaces and its applications. IEEE Trans Antennas Propag 25

    Google Scholar 

  • Buongiorno Nardelli B, Santoleri R, Marullo S, Iudicone D (1999) Altimetric sea level anomalies and three dimensional structure of the sea in the strait of Sicily. J Geophys Res 104(C9):20585–20603

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrère L, Lyard F (2003) Modeling the barotropic response of the global ocean to atmospheric wind and pressure – comparisons with observations. Geophys Res Lett 30(6):1275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chelton DB (2001) Report of the high-resolution ocean topography science working group meeting, Oregon State

    Google Scholar 

  • Cipollini P, Vignudelli S, Lyard F, Roblou L (2008) 15 years of altimetry at various scales over the Mediterranean, In: V Barale, JRC (Ispra), M Gade (Universitat Amburgo) Remote Sensing of European Seas, Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, pp 295–306. doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-6772-3_22

  • Cohen JE, Small C, Mellinger A, Gallup J, Sachs J, Vitousek PM, Mooney HA (1997) Estimates of coastal populations. Sciences 278(5341):1209–1213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crépon M, Wald L, Longuet JM (1982) Low-frequency waves in the Ligurian Sea during December 1977. J Geophys Res 87(C1):595–600

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis CH (1995) Growth of the Greenland Ice Sheet: a performance assessment of altimeter retracking algorithms. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sensing 33(5):1108–1116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng X, Featherstone WE, Hwang C, Berry P (2002) Estimation of Contamination of ERS-2 and Poseidon satellite radar altimetry close to the coasts of Australia. Mar Geod 25:249–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desportes C, Obligis E, Eymard L (2007) On the Wet tropospheric correction for altimetry in coastal regions. IEEE Trans, Geosci Remote Sensing 45(7):2139–2149

    Google Scholar 

  • Echevin V, Crépon M, Mortier L (2003) Interaction of a coastal current with a gulf: application to the shelf circulation of the Gulf of Lions in the Mediterranean Sea. J Phys Oceanogr 33:188–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Estournel C, Durrieu de Madron X, Marsaleix P, Auclair F, Julliand C, Vehil R (2003) Observation and modelisation of the winter coastal oceanic circulation in the Gulf of Lions under wind conditions influenced by the continental orography (FETCH experiment). J Geophys Res 108(C3):7–1, 7–18. doi:10.1029/2001JC000825

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenoglio-Marc L, Groten E, Dietz C (2004) Vertical land motion in the Mediterranean Sea from altimetry and TG stations. Mar Geod 27(3–4):683–701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenoglio-Marc L, Vignudelli S, Humbert A, Cipollini P, Fehlau M, Becker M (2007) An assessment of satellite altimetry in proximity of the Mediterranean coastline. In 3rd ENVISAT symposium proceedings, SP-636, ESA Publications Division

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenoglio-Marc L, Fehlau M, Ferri L, Becker M, Gao Y, Vignudelli S (2008) Coastal sea surface heights from improved altimeter data in the Mediterranean Sea. In: proceeding of international geoscience and remote sensing symposium (IGARSS), vol 3, p 423

    Google Scholar 

  • Font J, Garcia-Ladona E, Gorriz EG (1995) The seasonality of mesoscale motion in the Nothern Current of the Western Mediterranean: several years of evidence. Oceanol Acta 18(2):207–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatti J, Petrenko A, Devenon JL, Leredde Y (2005) Intrusions of the Mediterranean Northern Current on the eastern side of the Gulf of Lion’s continental shelf NW Mediterranean Sea. Geophys Res Abst 7:00986

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann M, Bouffard J, Béranger K (2009), Monitoring open-ocean deep convection from space, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L03606. doi:10.1029/2008GL036422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang C, Guo JY, Deng XL, Hsu HY, Liu YT (2006) Coastal gravity anomalies from retracked Geosat/GM altimetry: improvement, limitation and the role of airborne gravity data. J Geod 80:204–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iudicone D, Santoleri R, Marullo S, Gerosa P (1998) Sea level variability and surface eddy statistics in the Mediterranean Sea from TOPEX/Poseidon data. J Geophys Res 103(C2):2995–3011

    Google Scholar 

  • Jan G, Ménard Y, Faillot M, Lyard F, Jeansou E, Bonnefond P (2004) Offshore absolute calibration of space borne radar altimeters, Mar Geod, Special issue on Jason-1 Calibration/Validation Part 3 27:3–4, 615–629

    Google Scholar 

  • Larnicol G, Le Traon PY, Ayoub N, De Mey P (1995) Mean Sea level and surface circulation variability of the Mediterranean Sea from 2 years of T/P altimetry. J Geophys Res 100(12):25163–25178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larnicol G, Ayoub N, Le Traon PY (2002) Major changes in Mediterranean Sea level variability from 7 years of T/P and ERS-1/2 data. J Mar Syst 33–34:63–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Traon PY, Morrow RA (2001) Ocean currents and mesoscale eddies. In: Fu L-L, Cazenave A (ed) Satellite altimetry and earth sciences. A handbook of techniques and applications. Academic, San Diego, USA, pp 171–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Traon PY, Ogor F (1998) ERS-1/2 orbit improvement using T/P: the 2 cm challenge. J Geophys Res 103:8045–8057

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Chao Y, McWilliams JC, Ide K (2008) A three-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme for the regional ocean modeling system: implementation and basic experiments. J Geophys Res C05002. doi:10.1029/2006JC004042

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyard F, Lefevre F, Letellier T, Francis O (2006) Modelling the global ocean tides: modern insights from FES2004. Ocean Dyn. doi:10.1007/s10236-006-0086-x, ISSN

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangiarotti S, Lyard F (2008) Surface pressure and wind stress effects on sea level change estimations from T/P satellite altimetry in the Mediterranean Sea. J Atmos Ocean Technol 25:464–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manzella GMR, Borzelli GL, Cipollini P, Guymer TH, Snaith HM, Vignudelli S (1997) Potential use of satellite data to infer the circulation dynamics in a marginal area of the Mediterranean Sea. In: ESA SP-414 Proc. of 3rd ERS Symposium, Florence (Italy), 17–21 March 1997, vol 3, pp 1461–1466

    Google Scholar 

  • Millot C (1987) Circulation in the western Mediterranean. Oceanol Acta 10:143–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Millot C (1991) Mesoscale and seasonal variabilities of circulation in western Mediterranean. Dyn Atmos Ocean 15:179–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millot C, Wald L (1980) The effect of the Mistral wind on the Ligurian current near Provence. Oceanol Acta 3(4):399–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Mourre B, De Mey P, Lyard F, Le Provost C (2004) Assimilation of sea level data over continental shelves: an ensemble method for the exploration of model errors due to uncertainties in bathymetry. Dyn Atmos Ocean 38:93–121. doi:10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2004.09.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naeije ME, Doornbos L, Mathers R, Scharroo E, Schrama Visser P (2002). Radar altimeter database system: exploitation and extension (RADSxx), Final Report. NUSP-2 report 02-06, NUSP-2 project 6.3/IS-66. Space Research Organisation Netherlands (SRON), Utrecht, the Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pascual A, Faugère Y, Larnicol G, Le Traon PY (2006) Improved description of the mesoscale variability by combining four satellite altimeters. J Geophys Res 33. doi:10.1029/2005GL024633.33

    Google Scholar 

  • Pascual A, Pujol MI, Larnicol G, Le Traon PY, Rio MH (2007) Mesoscale mapping capabilities of multisatellite altimeter missions: first results with real data in the Mediterranean Sea. J Mar Syst 65:190–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pascual A, Marcos M, Gomis D (2008) Comparing the sea level response to pressure and wind forcing of two barotropic models: validation with tide gauge and altimetry data. J Geophys Res Oceans 113(C7)

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrenko A, Leredde Y, Marsaleix P (2005) Circulation in a stratified and wind forced Gulf of Lions, NW Mediterranean Sea: in-situ and modeling data. Cont Shelf Res 25:7–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pujol M-I, Larnicol G (2005) Mediterranean Sea eddy kinetic energy variability from 11 years of altimetric data. J Mar Syst 58:121–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ray RD (1999) A global ocean tide model from T/P altimetry: GOT99.2, NASA Tech. Memo. 209478, Goddard Space Flight Center, 58pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Ries JC, Tapley BD (1999) Centimeter level orbit determination for the T/P altimeter satellite. In: Proceedings of the ASS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanism Meeting, Breckenridge, CO, USA, pp 583–597

    Google Scholar 

  • Rio MH, Poulain PM, Pascual A, Mauri E, Larnicol G, Santoleri R (2007) A mean dynamic topography of the Mediterranean Sea computed from altimetric data, in-situ measurements and a general circulation model. J Mar Sys 65(14):484–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson A, Leslie W, Theocharis A, Lascaratos A (2001) Encyclopedia of ocean sciences, chap. Mediterranean sea circulation. Academic, London, pp 1689–1706

    Google Scholar 

  • Roblou L, Lyard F, Le Hénaff M, Maraldi C (2007) X-TRACK, a new processing tool for altimetry in coastal oceans. In: ESA ENVISAT symposium, Montreux, Switzerland, April 23–27, 2007, ESA SP-636

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz S, Pascual A, Garau B, Faugere Y, Alvarez A, Tintoré J (2009) Mesoscale dynamics of the Balearic front, integrating glider, ship and satellite data. J Mar Syst 78, S3-S16. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2009.01.007

    Google Scholar 

  • Send U, Font J, Krahmann G, Millot C, Rhein M, Tintoré J (1999) Recent advances in observing the physical oceanography of the western Mediterranean Sea. Prog Oceanogr 44:37–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SSALTO/DUACS User Handbook (2006) (M)SLA and (M)ADT near-real time and delayed time products. SALP-MU-P-EA-21065-CLS

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor KE (2001) Summarizing multiple aspects of model performance in a single diagram. J Geophys Res 106( D7):7183–7192

    Google Scholar 

  • Vignudelli S, Cipollini P, Astraldi M, Gasparini GP, Manzella GMR (2000) Integrated use of altimeter and in situ data for understanding the water ex-changes between the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas. J Geophys Res 105:19649–19663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vignudelli S, Cipollini P, Roblou L, Lyard F, Gasparini GP, Manzella GRM, Astraldi M (2005) Improved satellite altimetry in coastal systems: Case study of the Corsica Channel (Mediterranean Sea). Geophys Res Lett 32. doi:1029/2005GL22602

    Google Scholar 

  • Vignudelli S, Cipollini P, Gommenginger C, Snaith H, Coelho H, Fernandes J, Lazaro C, Nunes A, Gómez-Enri J, Martin-Puig C, Woodworth P, Dinardo S, Benveniste J (2010) Satellite altimetry: sailing closer to the coast. In: Gower J, Levy G, Heron M, Tang D, Katsaros K, Singh R (eds) Remote Sensing of the Changing Oceans, Springer, 2010 (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Volkov DL, Larnicol G, Dorandeu J (2007) Improving the quality of satellite altimetry data over continental shelves. J Geophys Res 112:C06020. doi:10.1029/2006JC003765

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This chapter is dedicated to Dr. Yves Ménard memory who was deeply involved in some activities focusing on coastal altimetry. The authors kindly acknowledge SONEL and ISPRA networks for the tide gauge sea level records. We wish to thank JF Bellemare for his revision of English spelling and syntaxes. Many thanks are also due to ESA, CNES, JPL, and NOAA for providing raw altimetric data within the framework of the RECOSETO project (founded by DFG). The X-TRACK altimetric data used in this study were developed, validated, and distributed by the CTOH/LEGOS, France. The DT-SLA product were produced by SSALTO/DUACS and distributed by Aviso, with support from CNES. Two referees made pertinent comments that helped to improve the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, C/Miquel Marquès, 21, 07190, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain

    J. Bouffard & A. Pascual

  2. UPS (OMP-PCA), Laboratoire d’Études en Géophysique et Océanographie Spatiales (LEGOS), Université de Toulouse, 14 Av, Edouard Belin, F-31400, Toulouse, France

    J. Bouffard, L. Roblou, F. Birol, M. Cancet, R. Morrow & Y. Ménard

  3. Institute of Physical Geodesy, Technical University of Darmstadt, L5|01 451 Petersenstr. 13, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    L. Fenoglio-Marc

  4. Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), 18 Avenue Edouard Belin, F-31400, Toulouse, France

    Y. Ménard

Authors
  1. J. Bouffard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Roblou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Birol
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Pascual
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. L. Fenoglio-Marc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Cancet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. R. Morrow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Y. Ménard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Bouffard .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ist. Biofisica, CNR Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 1, Pisa, 56124, Italy

    Stefano Vignudelli

  2. , P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nakhimovsky Pr. 36, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation

    Andrey G. Kostianoy

  3. Lab. Satellite Oceanography, Ocean Observing & Climate Res. Group, National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom

    Paolo Cipollini

  4. Directorate of Earth Observation Program, European Space Agency /ESRIN, Via Galileo Galilei, Frascati (Roma), 00044, Italy

    Jérôme Benveniste

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bouffard, J. et al. (2011). Introduction and Assessment of Improved Coastal Altimetry Strategies: Case Study over the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. In: Vignudelli, S., Kostianoy, A., Cipollini, P., Benveniste, J. (eds) Coastal Altimetry. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12796-0_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation