scholarly journals Sea level budget over 2005–2013: missing contributions and data errors

Ocean Science ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 789-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. B. Dieng ◽  
A. Cazenave ◽  
K. von Schuckmann ◽  
M. Ablain ◽  
B. Meyssignac
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Heat Content ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Time Span ◽  
Ocean Reanalysis ◽  
Argo Data ◽  
Steric Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Mass ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Based on the sea level budget closure approach, this study investigates the residuals between observed global mean sea level (GMSL) and the sum of components (steric sea level and ocean mass) for the period January 2005 to December 2013. The objective is to identify the impact of errors in one or several components of the sea level budget on the residual time series. This is a key issue if we want to constrain missing contributions such as the contribution to sea level rise from the deep ocean (depths not covered by observations). For that purpose, we use several data sets as processed by different groups: six altimetry products for the GMSL, four Argo products plus the ORAS4 ocean reanalysis for the steric sea level and three GRACE-based ocean mass products. We find that over the study time span, the observed differences in trend of the residuals of the sea level budget equation can be as large as ~ 0.55 mm yr−1 (i.e., ~ 17 % of the observed GMSL rate of rise). These trend differences essentially result from differences in trends of the GMSL time series. Using the ORAS4 reanalysis (providing complete geographical coverage of the steric sea level component), we also show that lack of Argo data in the Indonesian region leads to an overestimate of the absolute value of the residual trend by about 0.25 mm yr−1. Accounting for this regional contribution leads to closure of the sea level budget, at least for some GMSL products. At short timescales (from sub-seasonal to interannual), residual anomalies are significantly correlated with ocean mass and steric sea level anomalies (depending on the time span), suggesting that the residual anomalies are related to errors in both GRACE-based ocean mass and Argo-based steric data. Efforts are needed to reduce these various sources of errors before using the sea level budget approach to estimate missing contributions such as the deep ocean heat content.

scholarly journals Sea level budget over 2005–2013: missing contributions and data errors

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 701-734
Author(s):  
H. B. Dieng ◽  
A. Cazenave ◽  
K. von Schuckmann ◽  
M. Ablain ◽  
B. Meyssignac
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Heat Content ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Time Span ◽  
Short Time Scale ◽  
Altimetry Data ◽  
Ocean Reanalysis ◽  
Steric Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Mass ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Based on the sea level budget closure approach, this study investigates the residuals between observed global mean sea level (GMSL) and the sum of components (steric sea level and ocean mass) for the period January 2005 to December 2013. The objective is to identify the impact of errors in one or several components of the sea level budget on the residual time series. This is a key issue if we want to constrain missing contributions such as the contribution to sea level rise from the deep ocean (> 2000m). For that purpose, we use several data sets as processed by different groups: six altimetry products for the GMSL, four Argo products plus the ORAS4 ocean reanalysis for the steric sea level and three GRACE-based ocean mass products. We find that over the study time span, the observed trend differences in the residuals of the sea level budget can be as large as ~0.55mm yr−1. These trend differences essentially result from the processing of the altimetry data (e.g., choice the geophysical corrections and method of averaging the along-track altimetry data). At short time scale (from sub-seasonal to multi-annual), residual anomalies are significantly correlated with ocean mass and steric sea level anomalies (depending on the time span), indicating that the residual anomalies are related to errors in both GRACE-based ocean mass and Argo-based steric data. Efforts are needed to reduce these various sources of errors before using the sea level budget approach to estimate missing contributions such as the deep ocean heat content.

scholarly journals Consistency of the current global ocean observing systems from an Argo perspective

Ocean Science ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 547-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. von Schuckmann ◽  
J.-B. Sallée ◽  
D. Chambers ◽  
P.-Y. Le Traon ◽  
C. Cabanes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Heat Content ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Regional Variability ◽  
Tropical Ocean ◽  
Steric Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Observing ◽  
Ocean Observing Systems ◽  
Observing Systems

Abstract. Variations in the world's ocean heat storage and its associated volume changes are a key factor to gauge global warming and to assess the earth's energy and sea level budget. Estimating global ocean heat content (GOHC) and global steric sea level (GSSL) with temperature/salinity data from the Argo network reveals a positive change of 0.5 ± 0.1 W m−2 (applied to the surface area of the ocean) and 0.5 ± 0.1 mm year−1 during the years 2005 to 2012, averaged between 60° S and 60° N and the 10–1500 m depth layer. In this study, we present an intercomparison of three global ocean observing systems: the Argo network, satellite gravimetry from GRACE and satellite altimetry. Their consistency is investigated from an Argo perspective at global and regional scales during the period 2005–2010. Although we can close the recent global ocean sea level budget within uncertainties, sampling inconsistencies need to be corrected for an accurate global budget due to systematic biases in GOHC and GSSL in the Tropical Ocean. Our findings show that the area around the Tropical Asian Archipelago (TAA) is important to closing the global sea level budget on interannual to decadal timescales, pointing out that the steric estimate from Argo is biased low, as the current mapping methods are insufficient to recover the steric signal in the TAA region. Both the large regional variability and the uncertainties in the current observing system prevent us from extracting indirect information regarding deep-ocean changes. This emphasizes the importance of continuing sustained effort in measuring the deep ocean from ship platforms and by beginning a much needed automated deep-Argo network.

Closing the global mean sea level budget from altimetry, GRACE/GRACE Follow-On and Argo data (2005-present)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Barnoud ◽  
Anny Cazenave ◽  
Julia Pfeffer ◽  
Michaël Ablain ◽  
Adrien Guérou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Systematic Bias ◽  
Satellite Mission ◽  
Argo Data ◽  
Steric Sea Level ◽  
Mean Sea Level ◽  
Ocean Mass ◽  
Salinity Data ◽  
Global Mean Sea Level ◽  
Global Mean

<p>Change in the global mean sea level (GMSL) is the sum of changes in the global mean steric sea level and global mean ocean mass. Over the 1993-2016 period, the GMSL budget was found to be closed, as shown by many independent studies. However, non-closure of the sea level budget after 2016 has been recently reported when using altimetry, Argo and GRACE/GRACE Follow-On data (Chen et al., GRL, 2020). This non-closure may result from errors in one or more components of the sea level budget (altimetry-based GMSL, Argo-based steric sea level or GRACE-based ocean mass). In this study, we investigated possible sources of errors affecting atlimetry and Argo data used to assess closure of the GMSL budget. Concerning altimetry data, we compared the wet tropospheric correction (WTC) applied to Jason-3 data (the reference satellite mission used for the GMSL computation since 2016) with that from the SARAL/AltiKa mission, and found no systematic bias between the radiometer measurements from these two missions. Besides, preliminary comparisons of GMSL trends (using the WTC ECMWF model) between different missions do not suggest discrepancies larger than 0.4 mm/yr over 2016-present. While further analyses are still needed, we find unlikely that non-closure of the sea level budget results from errors of the altimetry system. Concerning Argo data, since 2016, salinity data from different processing groups display strong discrepancies, likely due to instrumental problems and data editing issues. Good agreement is found between all available Argo-based thermosteric products. Given that the halosteric component should be negligible in global average, we re-examined the sea level budget since 2016 using only the thermosteric component and found significant improvement in the budget closure, although it is not yet fully closed. This suggests that the observed discrepancies in the Argo-based halosteric component largely contribute to the non-closure of the GMSL budget in the recent years.</p>

scholarly journals Impact of Argo Observation on the Regional Ocean Reanalysis of China Coastal Waters and Adjacent Seas: A Twin-Experiment Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caixia Shao ◽  
Lili Xuan ◽  
Yingzhi Cao ◽  
Xiaojian Cui ◽  
Siyu Gao
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Unique Feature ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Ocean Reanalysis ◽  
Rms Error ◽  
Regional Reanalysis ◽  
Argo Profiles ◽  
The Impact

A regional ocean reanalysis system of China coastal waters and adjacent seas, called CORA (China ocean reanalysis), has been recently developed at the National Marine Data and Information Service (NMDIS). In this study, based on CORA, the impact of Argo profiles on the regional reanalysis is evaluated using a twin-experiment approach. It is found that, by assimilating Argo observations, the reanalysis quality is much improved: the root mean square (RMS) error of temperature and salinity can be further reduced by about 10% and the RMS error of current can be further reduced by 18%, compared to the case only assimilating conventional in situ temperature and salinity observations. Consistent with the unique feature of Argo observations, the temperature is improved in all levels and the largest improvement of salinity happens in the deep ocean. Argo profile data have a significant impact on the regional ocean reanalysis through improvements of both hydrographic and dynamic fields.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Accuracy of Recent Empirical and Assimilated Tidal Models for the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Using Satellite and Coastal Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fardin Seifi ◽  
Xiaoli Deng ◽  
Ole Baltazar Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Root Mean Square ◽  
Tide Gauge ◽  
Bottom Topography ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Mean Square ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
The Impact

The latest satellite and in situ data are a fundamental source for tidal model evaluations. In this work, the satellite missions TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2 and Sentinel-3A, together with tide gauge data, were used to investigate the performance of recent regional and global tidal models over the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Ten models, namely, TPXO8, TPXO9, EOT11a, HAMTIDE, FES2012, FES2014, OSUNA, OSU12, GOT 4.10 and DTU10, were considered. The accuracy of eight major tidal constituents (i.e., K1, O1, P1, Q1, M2, S2, N2 and K2) and one shallow water constituent (M4) were assessed based on the analysis of sea-level observations from coastal tide gauges and altimetry data (TOPEX series). The outcome was compared for four different subregions, namely, the coastline, coastal, shelf and deep ocean zones. Sea-level anomaly data from the Sentinel-3A mission were corrected using the tidal heights predicted by each model. The root mean square values of the sea level anomalies were then compared. According to the results, FES2012 compares more favorably to other models with root mean square (RMS) values of 10.9 cm and 7.7 cm over the coastal and shelf zones, respectively. In the deeper sections, the FES2014 model compares favorably at 7.5 cm. In addition, the impact of sudden fluctuations in bottom topography on model performances suggest that a combination of bathymetric variations and proximity to the coast or islands contributes to tidal height prediction accuracies of the models.

Impact of Bathythermograph Temperature Bias Models on an Ocean Reanalysis

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin S. Giese ◽  
Gennady A. Chepurin ◽  
James A. Carton ◽  
Tim P. Boyer ◽  
Howard F. Seidel
Keyword(s):  
Global Analysis ◽  
Heat Content ◽  
Time Dependent ◽  
Ocean Reanalysis ◽  
Warm Bias ◽  
Temperature Bias ◽  
Ocean Data Assimilation ◽  
Eastern Equatorial Pacific ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Historical bathythermograph datasets are known to be biased, and there have been several efforts to model this bias. Three different correction models of temperature bias in the historical bathythermograph dataset are compared here: the steady model of Hanawa et al. and the time-dependent models of Levitus et al. and Wijffels et al. The impact of these different models is examined in the context of global analysis experiments using the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation system. The results show that the two time-dependent bias models significantly reduce warm bias in global heat content, notably in the 10 years starting in the early 1970s and again in the early 1990s. Overall, the Levitus et al. model has its greatest impact near the surface and the Wijffels et al. model has its greatest impact at subtropical thermocline depths. Examination of the vertical structure of temperature error shows that at thermocline depths the Wijffels et al. model overcompensates, leading to a slight cool bias, while at shallow levels the same model causes a slight warm bias in the central and eastern subtropics and at thermocline depths on the equator in the Pacific Ocean as a result of reduced vertical entrainment. The results also show that the bias-correction models may alter the representation of interannual variability. During the 1997/98 El Niño and the subsequent La Niña the Levitus et al. model, which has its main impact at shallow depths, reduces the 50-m temperature anomalies in the eastern equatorial Pacific by 10%–20% and strengthens the zonal currents by up to 50%. The Wijffels et al. correction, which has its main impact at deeper levels, has much less effect on the oceanic expression of ENSO.

scholarly journals Application of Singular Spectrum Analysis in Deep-Ocean Tide Reconstruction and Prediction

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peeravit KOAD ◽  
Krisanadej JAROENSUTASINEE
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Spectrum Analysis ◽  
Singular Spectrum Analysis ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Detection Algorithm ◽  
Ocean Tide ◽  
Reconstruction Accuracy ◽  
Singular Spectrum ◽  
Tidal Acceleration

This study utilized the Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) approach to perform time series orthogonalization and demonstrated its use by analyzing vertical tidal acceleration and sea level time series from different deep-ocean locations. This method quantifies astronomical variations by using decomposed vertical tidal acceleration to reconstruct and predict deep-ocean tide. The results show that each decomposed vertical tidal acceleration can be associated with the decomposed sea level having at least 5 astronomical variations. Their associated energies can also be used to diagnose the change of the oceanic tide response to tidal acceleration. Performance evaluation also shows that this method can give comparable reconstruction accuracy and slightly better prediction accuracy compared to the harmonic analysis-based method. It is indicated that the proposed method is accurate enough to be applied in a tsunami detection algorithm. The results also indicate that the proposed method is stable enough to provide unpropagated prediction residuals.

scholarly journals Assimilating synthetic Biogeochemical-Argo and ocean colour observations into a global ocean model to inform observing system design

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 509-534
Author(s):  
David Ford
Keyword(s):  
Global Scale ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Ocean Colour ◽  
Ocean Reanalysis ◽  
Argo Data ◽  
Argo Floats ◽  
Improved Model ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. A set of observing system simulation experiments was performed. This assessed the impact on global ocean biogeochemical reanalyses of assimilating chlorophyll from remotely sensed ocean colour and in situ observations of chlorophyll, nitrate, oxygen, and pH from a proposed array of Biogeochemical-Argo (BGC-Argo) floats. Two potential BGC-Argo array distributions were tested: one for which biogeochemical sensors are placed on all current Argo floats and one for which biogeochemical sensors are placed on a quarter of current Argo floats. Assimilating BGC-Argo data greatly improved model results throughout the water column. This included surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), which is an important output of reanalyses. In terms of surface chlorophyll, assimilating ocean colour effectively constrained the model, with BGC-Argo providing no added benefit at the global scale. The vertical distribution of chlorophyll was improved by assimilating BGC-Argo data. Both BGC-Argo array distributions gave benefits, with greater improvements seen with more observations. From the point of view of ocean reanalysis, it is recommended to proceed with development of BGC-Argo as a priority. The proposed array of 1000 floats will lead to clear improvements in reanalyses, with a larger array likely to bring further benefits. The ocean colour satellite observing system should also be maintained, as ocean colour and BGC-Argo will provide complementary benefits.

scholarly journals Time-variable gravity fields and ocean mass change from 37 months of kinematic Swarm orbits

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Lück ◽  
Jürgen Kusche ◽  
Roelof Rietbroek ◽  
Anno Löcher
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Gravity Field ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Time Variable ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Time Variable Gravity ◽  
Ocean Mass ◽  
Grace Data ◽  
Swarm Satellites ◽  
Variable Gravity

Abstract. Measuring the spatiotemporal variation of ocean mass allows one to partition volumetric sea level change, sampled by radar altimeters, into a mass-driven and a steric part, the latter being related to ocean heat change and the current Earth’s energy imbalance. Since 2002, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission provides estimates of the Earth’s time-variable gravity field, from which one can derive ocean mass variability. However, GRACE has reached the end of its lifetime with data degradation and several gaps during the last years, and there will be a prolonged gap until the launch of the follow-on mission GRACE-FO. Therefore, efforts focus on generating a long and consistent ocean mass time series by analyzing kinematic orbits from other low-flying satellites; i.e. extending the GRACE time series. Here we utilize data from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Swarm Earth Explorer satellites to derive and investigate ocean mass variations. We investigate the potential to bridge the gap between the GRACE missions and to substitute missing monthly solutions. Our monthly Swarm solutions have a root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.0 mm with respect to GRACE, whereas directly estimating trend, annual and semiannual signal terms leads to an RMSE of only 1.7 mm. Concerning monthly gaps, our Swarm solution appears better than interpolating existing GRACE data in 13.5 % of all cases, for 80.0 % of all investigated cases of an 18-months-gap, Swarm ocean mass was found closer to the observed GRACE data compared to interpolated GRACE data. Furthermore, we show that precise modelling of non-gravitational forces acting on the Swarm satellites is the key for reaching these accuracies. Our results have implications for sea level budget studies, but they may also guide further research in gravity field analysis schemes, including non-dedicated satellites.

A Time Series of Expendable Bathythermograph Sections Across the East Australian Current

1979 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 303 ◽  
Author(s):  
FM Boland
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Seasonal Cycles ◽  
East Australian Current ◽  
Mean Sea Level ◽  
Lord Howe Island ◽  
Expendable Bathythermograph ◽  
Westward Movement ◽  
The Mean

Expendable bathythermograph sections of temperature were made eastward from Sydney to 156� E. at 2-week intervals over the period July 1969 to July 1975. The mean seasonal cycles of temperature at the surface and at 240 m depth are presented, as well as the time series of 240 m temperature. The results suggest a westward movement of disturbances and also imply a connection between measurements in the deep ocean and events on the continental shelf. The histogram of temperature at 240 m at 152� E. is very different from that at 154� E., the latter being distinctly bimodal. These histograms are compared with that of mean sea level at Lord Howe Island which is also bimodal.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document