Spectral Analysis and Validation of Multiple Input/Multiple Output DOT Estimation in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

摘要

Fifteen years (2000-2015) of altimetric data fromERS2, ENVISAT, SARAL and GEOSAT-FOLLOW-ON satellites are optimally combined with in situ marine gravity observations employing the spectral Multiple Input/Multiple Output System Theory (MIMOST) for Dynamic Ocean Topography (DOT) estimation. The spectral behavior of the method is investigated by assimilating low frequency information from GOCE-derived geopotential models in a test area of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The frequency content of the reference field used in the reductions of the original observations and its effect to the DOT approximation is studied. The evolution of the annual DOT is validated against oceanographic information of recently available circulation models in the area under study. The effect of the reference field used in data reductions to the geostrophic circulation of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is analyzed and remarks on the combination of gravity, altimetry and pure oceanographic data are outlined.