Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparisons of sea surface height variability observed by pressure-recording inverted echo sounders and satellite altimetry in the Kuroshio Extension

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Oceanography Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Satellite-measured along-track and gridded sea surface height (SSH) anomaly products from AVISO are compared with in situ SSH anomaly measurements from an array of 43 pressure-recording inverted echo sounders (PIESs) in the Kuroshio Extension. PIESs measure bottom pressure (P bot) and round-trip acoustic travel time from the sea floor to the sea surface (τ). The P bot and τ measurements are used to estimate, respectively, the mass-loading and steric height variations in SSH anomaly. All comparisons are made after accurate removal of tidal components from all data. Overall good correlations are found between along-track and PIES-derived SSH anomalies with mean correlation coefficient of 0.97. Comparisons between the two measurements reveal that the mass-loading component estimated from P bot is relatively small in this geographical region. It improves regression coefficients about 5 % and decreases mean root-mean-squared (rms) differences from 7.8 to 6.4 cm. The AVISO up-to-date gridded product, which merges all available satellite measurements of Jason-1, Envisat, Geosat Follow-On, and TOPEX/Poseidon interlaced, shows better correlations and smaller rms differences than the AVISO reference gridded product, which merges only Jason-1 and Envisat. Especially, the up-to-date gridded product reveals 6.8 cm rms improvement on average at sites away from Jason-1 ground tracks. Gridded products exhibit low correlation (0.75–0.9) with PIES-derived SSH in a subregion where the SSH fluctuations have relatively high energy at periods shorter than 20 days.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AVISO and PODDAC User Handbook: IGDR and GDR Jason Products (2006) SMM-MU-M5-OP-13184-CN. Tech. rep.

  • AVISO DT CorSSH and DT SLA Product Handbook (2005) CLS-DOS-NT-05-097. Tech. rep.

  • Baker-Yeboah S, Watts DR, Byrne DA (2009) Measurements of sea surface height variability in the Eastern South Atlantic from pressure sensor-equipped inverted echo sounders: baroclinic and barotropic components. J Atmos Ocean Technol 26:2593–2609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker-Yeboah S, Watts DR, Byrne DA, Witter DL (2011) Sea surface height variability in the eastern South Atlantic from satellite and in situ measurements: a comparative study. J Geophys Res (in press)

  • Bishop SP, Watts DR, Park J-H, Hogg NG (2012) Evidence of bottom-trapped currents in 1 the Kuroshio Extension region. J Phys Oceanogr 42:321–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donohue KA, Watts DR, Tracey K, Greene AD, Kennelly M (2010) Mapping circulation in the Kuroshio Extension with an array of current and pressure recording inverted echo sounders. J Atmos Ocean Technol 27:507–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donohue KA et al (2008) Program studies the Kuroshio Extension. EOS Trans AGU 89(17):161–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukumori I, Raghunath R, Fu L-L (1998) The nature of global largescale sea-level variability in relation to atmospheric forcing: a modeling study. J Geophys Res 103:5493–5512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilson J, Roemmich D, Cornuelle B (1998) Relationship of TOPEX/Poseidon altimetric height to steric height and circulation in the North Pacific. J Geophys Res 103(C12), 27947–27965

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greene A, Watts DR, Sturyn G (2009) Deep cyclogenesis by synoptic eddies interacting with a seamount. J Mar Res 67:305–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guinehut S, Traon P-YL, Larnicol G (2006) What can we learn from global altimetry/hydrography comparisons? Geophys Res Lett 33:L10604. doi:10.1029/2005GL025551

  • Howe PJ, Dononue KA, Watts DR (2009) Stream-coordinate structure and variability of the Kuroshio Extension. Deep Sea Res I 56:1093–1116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jayne SR et al (2009) The Kuroshio Extension and its recirculation gyres. Deep Sea Res I 56:2088–2099

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennelly M, Donohue KA, Greene A, Tracey KL, Watts DR (2008) Inverted echo sounder data report: Kuroshio Extension System Study (KESS), April 2004 to July 2006. GSO Tech. Rep. 2008-02, Grad. Sch. of Oceanogr., Univ. of R. I., Narragansett. http://www.po.gso.uri.edu/dynamics/publications/tech_rpts/KESSdatareport.pdf

  • Kouketsu S, Yasuda I (2008) Unstable frontal waves along the Kuroshio Extension with low-potential vorticity intermediate oyashio water. J Phys Oceanogr 38:2308–2321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy MC, Talley LD, Roemmich D (2000) Seasonal to interannual variability from expendable bathythermograph and TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data in the South Pacific subtropical gyre. J Geophys Res 105(C8), 19535–19550

    Google Scholar 

  • Meinen CS (2001) Structure of the North Atlantic Current in stream-coordinates and the circulation in the Newfoundland Basin. Deep Sea Res I 48:1553–1580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munk WH, Cartwright DE (1966) Tidal spectroscopy and prediction. Philos Trans R Soc Lond A 259:533–581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park J-H, Donohue KA, Watts DR, Rainville L (2010) Distribution of deep near-inertial waves observed in the Kuroshio Extension. J Oceanogr 66:709–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park J-H, Watts DR (2006) Near 5-day nonisostatic response of the Atlantic Ocean to atmospheric surface pressure deduced from sub-surface and bottom pressure measurements. Geophys Res Lett 33: L12610. doi:10.1029/2005GL026304

  • Park J-H, Watts DR, Donohue KA, Jayne SR (2008) A comparison of in situ bottom pressure array measurements with GRACE estimates in the Kuroshio Extension. Geophys Res Lett 35: L17601. doi:10.1029/2008GL034778

  • Park J-H, Watts DR, Tracey KL, Mitchell DA (2005) A multi-index GEM technique and its application to the southwestern Japan/East sea. J Atmos Ocean Technol 22:1282–1293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ponte RM, Dorandeu J (2003) Uncertainties in ECMWF surface pressure fields over the ocean in relation to sea level analysis and modeling. J Atmos Ocean Technol 20:301–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhines, PB (1970) Edge-, bottom-, and Rossby waves in a rotating stratified fluid. Geophys Fluid Dyn 1:273–302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SSALTO/DUACS User Handbook: (M)SLA and (M)ADT Near-Real Time and Delayed Time Products (2006) CLS-DOS-NT-06.034. Tech. rep.

  • Teague WJ, Hallock ZR, Jacobs GA, Mitchell JL (1995) Kuroshio sea surface height fluctuations observed simultaneously with inverted echo sounders and TOPEX/Poseidon. J Geophys Res 100(C12):24987–24994

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Traon PYL, Dibarboure G (2002) Velocity mapping capabilities of present and future altimeter missions: the role of high-frequency signals. J Atmos Ocean Technol 19:2077–2087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watts DR, Qian X, Tracey KL (2001a) On mapping abyssal current and pressure fields under the meandering Gulf Stream. J Atmos Ocean Technol 18:1052–1067

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watts DR, Sun C, Rintoul S (2001b) A two-dimensional gravest empirical mode determined from hydrographic observations in the Subantarctic Front. J Phys Oceanogr 31:2186–2209

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Andrew D. Greene for producing the initial version of GEM fields that were used for the PIES steric height calculations, and to Amy L. Cutting who assisted in early stages on a summer undergraduate research experience (REU), both under NSF support. This work was supported by NSF grants OCE-0221008 and OCE-0851246, and J.H.P. was also supported by KORDI grants PE98731 and PE98742.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Ansan, 426-744, Korea

    Jae-Hun Park

  2. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, 02882-1197, USA

    D. Randolph Watts, Kathleen A. Donohue & Karen L. Tracey

Authors
  1. Jae-Hun Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Randolph Watts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kathleen A. Donohue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Karen L. Tracey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jae-Hun Park.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Park, JH., Watts, D.R., Donohue, K.A. et al. Comparisons of sea surface height variability observed by pressure-recording inverted echo sounders and satellite altimetry in the Kuroshio Extension. J Oceanogr 68, 401–416 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-012-0108-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-012-0108-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation