An Investigation of the Influences of SWOT Sampling and Errors on Ocean Eddy Observation

Remote Sensing

Haoxin Zhang¹  Chunyong Ma¹  Jiankai Di¹  Xiaoxiao Guo¹  Ge Chen¹ 

[1] College of Information Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, No.238 Songling Road, Qingdao 266100, China;

关键词: SWOT;    space-time sampling;    errors;    ocean eddies;   

DOI  :  10.3390/rs12172682

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The mission of Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) is scheduled to be launched
in 2022, and global ocean eddies with radius scales of larger than 10 km are expected to be observed
from space. However, there are still open questions about the capability of SWOT to detect ocean
eddies. Based on ocean model data and SWOT orbit, this study simulates along-track observation
of SWOT. Two eddy datasets are derived from simulated observation data via mapping and eddy
identification procedures, one of which includes SWOT errors and the other does not. The third
eddy dataset is generated from the original model data. Through comparing these three eddy
datasets, it is found that 34% (40%) eddies are lost due to insufficient temporal sampling and errors
in the Kuroshio Extension (South China Sea) region, and numerous artifact eddies are generated.
To further explain the influence of SWOT errors on smaller-scale eddies, two eddies (a cyclonic eddy
and an anticyclonic eddy) with the radius of about 10 km are repeatedly observed 100 times using
the SWOT-simulator. The cyclonic eddy with larger amplitude has been detected 84 times, while
the anticyclonic eddy is visible 76 times. Therefore, the influence of the SWOT sampling and errors
on ocean eddy observation is revealed by the results of these observing system simulation
experiments (OSSEs).

【 授权许可】

Unknown