Mesoscale Ocean Altimetry Requirements and Impact of GPS-R measurements for Ocean Mesoscale Circulation Mapping

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of GNSS-R altimetry, specifically GPS-R measurements, to improve mesoscale ocean circulation mapping by analyzing current capabilities, requirements, and future mission impacts.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive assessment of GPS-R altimetry's impact on mesoscale oceanography and refines measurement requirements for future ocean circulation missions.

Findings

GNSS-R data significantly enhance mesoscale ocean mapping.

Current and future altimeter missions are analyzed for their suitability.

GPS-R measurements can meet refined accuracy and sampling requirements.

Abstract

In the framework of the PARIS Beta project, fundamental milestones have been reached for the definition of future GNSS-R (Global Navigation Satellite System signal Reflections) altimetry missions (the PARIS concept). The most important one is the confirmation of the significant impact that GNSS-R data can have on mesoscale oceanography, as we discuss here. In this report, we first briefly review the contribution of satellite altimetry to mesoscale oceanography. We then summarise recent results obtained on the mapping capabilities of existing and future altimeter missions. From these analyses, refined requirements for mesoscale ocean altimetry (in terms of space/time sampling and accuracy) are derived. A review of on-going and planned altimetric missions is then performed and we analyse how these configurations match the user requirements. Then we will describe the simulation approach and impact analysis of GPS-R data.