Abstract
Satellite altimetry provides an ocean mean sea surface (MSS) map with global coverage and overall excellent precision. However, in some areas, like the Vanuatu archipelago, the coverage and resolution of this tool are not sufficient to correctly map the short scale undulations of the sea surface, due to numerous islands and to strong lithospheric and mantle heterogeneities. New applications such as seafloor geodesy may require local mean surface representation with improved resolution in specific areas. We used sea surface height collected with kinematic GPS during three different cruises in 2004, 2006 and 2007 to reconstruct a homogeneous sea surface map around Santo Island, Vanuatu. We assess the accuracy of this GPS-derived local sea surface to 6–19 cm and evaluate the quality of existing altimetry and gravity-derived MSSs on the Vanuatu archipelago. Observed short scale undulations are interpreted as due to local geodynamics.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersen O, Knudsen P (2008) The DNSC08 global mean sea surface and bathymetry. Presented at EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria
AVISO (1996) AVISO user handbook: merged TOPEX/Poseidon products, Tech. Rep. AVI-NT-02-101-CN, 3rd edn. Toulouse, France, 198 pp
Ballu V, Bouin MN, Calmant S, Folcher E, Bore JM, Ammann J, Pot~O, Diament M, Pelletier B. Obtaining centimeter level submarine benchmark heights by combining tide guage and kinematic GPS data. J Geod (submitted)
Ballu V, de Viron O, Bouin MN, Jan G, Diament M, Calmant S, Bore JM, Bergeot N (2006) Determining vertical deformations in underwater areas. Presented at EGU general assembly, Vienna, Austria
Bergeot N, Bouin MN, Diament M, Pelletier B, Régnier M, Calmant S, Ballu V (2009) Interseismic velocity field in the central Vanuatu locked subduction zone context from GPS measurements. J Geophys Res. doi:10.1029/2007JB005249
Birol F, Roblou L, Lyard F, Llovel W, Durand F, Renault L, Dewitte B, Morrow R, Ménard Y (2006) Towards using satellite altimetry for the observation of coastal dynamics. In: Symposium “15 years of progress in radar altimetry”, Venice, Italy
Bonnefond P, Exertier P, Laurain O, Ménard Y, Jeansou E, Orsoni A, Haines BJ, Kubitschek DG, Born G (2003) Leveling sea surface using a GPS-Catamaran. Mar Geod. doi:10.1080/714044524
Bouin MN, Ballu V, Calmant S, Pelletier B, Boré JM, Folcher E, Ammann J (2009) Methodology of kinematic GPS experiment for local sea surface mapping, Vanuatu. J Geod (under revision)
Calmant S, Cheng K, Jan G, Kuo C, Shum C, Yi Y, Ballu V, Bouin MN (2004) Comparison of sea surface heights derived from satellite altimetry and from ocean bottom pressure gauges: the SW Pacific MOTEVAS project. Mar Geod 27: 597–613. doi:10.1080/01490410490883379
Calmant S, Pelletier B, Lebellegard P, Bevis M, Taylor FW, Phillips DA (2003) New insights on the tectonics along the New Hebrides subduction zone based on GPS results. J Geophys Res 10(B6):. doi:10.1029/2001JB000644
Carrère L, Lyard F (2003) Modeling the barotropic response of the global ocean to atmospheric wind and pressure forcing—comparisons with observations. Geophys Res Lett 30(6): 1275. doi:10.1029/2002GL016473
Chadwell D, Spiess F, Hildebrand J, Young L, Purcell G Jr, Dragert H (1998) Deep-sea geodesy: monitoring the ocean floor. GPS World 9: 44–55
Hernandez F, Schaeffer P (2001) The CLS01 mean sea surface: a validation with the GSFC00 surface. Internal report CLS01_VALID_MSS.pdf, CLS Ramonville St Agne, France
King RW, Bock Y (2006) Documentation for the GAMIT GPS analysis software, release 10.3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
Lyard F, Lefevre F, Letellier T, Francis O (2006) Modelling the global ocean tides: a modern insight from FES2004. Ocean Dyn 56: 394–415. doi:10.1007/s10236-006-0086-x
McCarthy DD, Petit G (2004) IERS conventions (2003), IERS technical note, 32. Verlag des Bundesamtes für Kartographie und Geodäsie, Frankfurt am Main
Pavlis NK, Holmes SA, Kenyon SC, Factor JK (2008) An earth gravitational model to degree 2160: EGM 2008. Presented at general assembly EGU, Vienna, Austria
Pelletier B, Missegue F, Butscher J (1997) Bathymetric map of the Central New Hebrides arc, 13°S–18°S, 165°30′E–169°30′E, 1/550 000, contour 100 m. Science, Technology and Ressources Network (STAR) sessions the SOPAC’s 26th Annual Session, Fiji, 29–30 September 1997
Pelletier B (1999) Subduction de rides et ouvertures arrière-arc dans le Pacifique Sud-Ouest (arcs des Tonga-Kermadec et du Vanuatu, bassins de Lau et Nord-Fidjien). Mémoire d’Habilitation à diriger des recherches, vol. 1: 102 pp, vol. 2: annexe. Université de Paris VI
Roblou L, Lyard F, Le Hénaff M, Maraldi C (2007) X-TRACK, a new processing tool for altimetry in coastal oceans. In: Proceedings of the ENVISAT symposium, Montreux, Switzerland
Spiess FN, Chadwell D, Hildebrand DA, Young LE, Purcell GH Jr, Dragert H (1998) Precise GPS/acoustic positioning on seafloor reference points for tectonic studies. Phys Earth Planet Inter 108: 101–112. doi:10.1016/S0031-9201(98)00089-2
Smith WHF, Wessel P (1990) Gridding with continuous curvature splines in tension. Geophysics 55(3): 293–305. doi:10.1190/1.1442837
Vignudelli S, Cipollini P, Roblou L, Lyard F, Gasparini GP, Manzella G, Astraldi M (2005) Improved satellite altimetry in coastal systems: case study of the Corsica Channel (Mediterranean Sea). Geophys Res Lett 32: L07608. doi:1029/2005GL22602
Volkov DL, Larnicol G, Dorandeu L (2007) Improving the quality of satellite altimetry data over continental shelves. J Geophys Res 112. doi:10.1029/2006JC003765
Wessel P, Smith WHF (1998) New, improved version of Generic Mapping Tools released. EOS Trans Am Geophys Union 79(47): 579. doi:10.1029/98EO00426
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bouin, MN., Ballu, V., Calmant, S. et al. Improving resolution and accuracy of mean sea surface from kinematic GPS, Vanuatu subduction zone. J Geod 83, 1017–1030 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-009-0320-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-009-0320-7