Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-420
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-420
26 Feb 2024
 | 26 Feb 2024

Impact of two high resolution altimetry mission concepts for ocean forecasting

Mounir Benkiran, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Elisabeth Rémy, and Yann Drillet

Abstract. Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) with the Mercator Ocean/Copernicus Marine global 1/12° data assimilation system has been carried out to compare and quantify the expected performance of two high resolution altimetry mission concepts envisioned for the long-term evolution (post-2032) of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 topography mission. The two mission concepts are a constellation of two wide-swath altimeters and a constellation of 12 nadir altimeters. These two configurations greatly improve ocean forecasting and monitoring capabilities. Compared to a constellation of three nadir altimeters (the present configuration), analysis and forecast errors are reduced by a factor of 2. Our results also show that a constellation of two wide-swath altimeters has better performance than a constellation of 12 nadirs. Compared to a constellation of 12 nadirs, the error of the Sea Surface Height (SSH) forecast of a two wide swath constellation will be reduced by 14 % overall. Improvements are also observed when analysing surface currents and Lagrangian diagnostics. A constellation of two wide-swath altimeters thus seems to be a very promising concept for the long-term evolution of the Sentinel-3 topography mission.

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Mounir Benkiran, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Elisabeth Rémy, and Yann Drillet

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Mar 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Anonymous Referee #2, 27 Mar 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Anonymous Referee #3, 29 Mar 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC3', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
  • EC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Bernadette Sloyan, 19 Apr 2024

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Mar 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Anonymous Referee #2, 27 Mar 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Anonymous Referee #3, 29 Mar 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC3', Mounir Benkiran, 15 May 2024
  • EC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-420', Bernadette Sloyan, 19 Apr 2024
Mounir Benkiran, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Elisabeth Rémy, and Yann Drillet
Mounir Benkiran, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Elisabeth Rémy, and Yann Drillet

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Short summary
The assimilation of altimetry data corrects and improves the forecast of a global ocean forecasting system. Until now, the use of altimetry observations from nadir altimeters has had a major impact on the quality of ocean forecasts. Our study shows that the use of observations from swath altimeters will have a greater impact than the quality of these forecasts and will better constrain mesoscale structures.