COMBINATION OF ALTIMETRY AND HFR OBSERVATIONS FOR COASTAL DATA ASSIMILATION
PI and organization: A. Caballero (AZTI)
Co-Is: A. Rubio (AZTI), J. Mader (AZTI), L. Ferrer (AZTI), C. Dufau (CLS), M-H. Rio (CLS), G. Larnicol(CLS), N. Ayoub (LEGOS)
Abstract: Altimetry derived Mean Dynamic Topography (MDT) can be assimilated in ocean modelling systems for estimate more precisely sea surface in the simulations. Nevertheless, global MDT present estimates show large uncertainties in the coastal areas. COMBAT main objective is to take the advantage of a coastal HF radar system to be used, together with in situ and other remote sensing data, as an input in the MDT computation, for improving its precision in the coastal strip. To do that, in addition to the comparison of the ocean signal contained in altimetry and HF radar data, simulations from local and regional numerical models will be used for a better characterization and estimate of the different components of the surface currents derived from both remote measurements. After that, the necessary elements for ensuring an effective assimilation of this coastal MDT and the corresponding Absolute Dynamic Topography in numerical models will be designed. Although, the main computations in COMBAT will be conducted for the south-eastern Bay of Biscay, the methodology that will be developed for this area will be transferable to other CMEMS areas, mainly considering the global coverage of the altimetry and the increasing number of HFR systems in the European coasts.
