@article{fdi:010068883,
  title = {{O}bservability of fine-scale ocean dynamics in the northwestern {M}editerranean {S}ea},
  author = {{M}orrow, {R}. and {C}arret, {A}. and {B}irol, {F}. and {N}ino, {F}ernando and {V}alladeau, {G}. and {B}oy, {F}. and {B}achelier, {C}{\'e}line and {Z}akardjian, {B}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}echnological advances in the recent satellite altimeter missions of {J}ason-2, {SARAL}/{A}lti{K}a and {C}ryo{S}at-2 have improved their signal-to-noise ratio, allowing us to observe finer-scale ocean processes with along-track data. {H}ere, we analyse the noise levels and observable ocean scales in the northwestern {M}editerranean {S}ea, using spectral analyses of along-track sea surface height from the three missions. {J}ason-2 has a higher mean noise level with strong seasonal variations, with higher noise in winter due to the rougher sea state. {SARAL}/{A}lti{K}a has the lowest noise, again with strong seasonal variations. {C}ryo{S}at-2 is in synthetic aperture radar ({SAR}) mode in the {M}editerranean {S}ea but with lower-resolution ocean corrections; its statistical noise level is moderate with little seasonal variation. {T}hese noise levels impact on the ocean scales we can observe. {I}n winter, when the mixed layers are deepest and the submesoscale is energetic, all of the altimeter missions can observe wavelengths down to 40-50 km (individual feature diameters of 20-25 km). {I}n summer when the submesoscales are weaker, {SARAL} can detect ocean scales down to 35 km wavelength, whereas the higher noise from {J}ason-2 and {C}ryo{S}at-2 blocks the observation of scales less than 50-55 km wavelength. {T}his statistical analysis is completed by individual case studies, where filtered along-track altimeter data are compared with co-located glider and high-frequency ({HF}) radar data. {T}he glider comparisons work well for larger ocean structures, but observations of the smaller, rapidly moving dynamics are difficult to co-locate in space and time (gliders cover 200 km in a few days, altimetry in 30 s). {HF} radar surface currents at {T}oulon measure the meandering {N}orthern {C}urrent, and their good temporal sampling shows promising results in comparison to co-located {SARAL} altimetric currents. {T}echniques to separate the geostrophic component from the wind-driven ageostrophic flow need further development in this coastal band.},
  keywords = {{MEDITERRANNEE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{O}cean {S}cience},
  volume = {13},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {13--29},
  ISSN = {1812-0784},
  year = {2017},
  DOI = {10.5194/os-13-13-2017},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068883},
}