Training neural mapping schemes for satellite altimetry with simulation data

Satellite altimetry combined with data assimilation and optimal interpolation schemes have deeply renewed our ability to monitor sea surface dynamics. Recently, deep learning (DL) schemes have emerged as appealing solutions to address space-time interpolation problems. The scarcity of real altimetry dataset, in terms of space-time coverage of the sea surface, however impedes the training of state-of-the-art neural schemes on real-world case-studies. Here, we leverage both simulations of ocean dynamics and satellite altimeters to train simulation-based neural mapping schemes for the sea surface height and demonstrate their performance for real altimetry datasets. We analyze further how the ocean simulation dataset used during the training phase impacts this performance. This experimental analysis covers both the resolution from eddy-present configurations to eddy-rich ones, forced simulations vs. reanalyses using data assimilation and tide-free vs. tide-resolving simulations. Our benchmarking framework focuses on a Gulf Stream region for a realistic 5-altimeter constellation using NEMO ocean simulations and 4DVarNet mapping schemes. All simulation-based 4DVarNets outperform the operational observation-driven and reanalysis products, namely DUACS and GLORYS. The more realistic the ocean simulation dataset used during the training phase, the better the mapping. The best 4DVarNet mapping was trained from an eddy-rich and tide-free simulation datasets. It improves the resolved longitudinal scale from 151 kilometers for DUACS and 241 kilometers for GLORYS to 98 kilometers and reduces the root mean squared error (RMSE) by 23% and 61%. These results open research avenues for new synergies between ocean modelling and ocean observation using learning-based approaches

Scale-aware neural calibration for wide swath altimetry observations

Sea surface height (SSH) is a key geophysical parameter for monitoring and studying meso-scale surface ocean dynamics. For several decades, the mapping of SSH products at regional and global scales has relied on nadir satellite altimeters, which provide one-dimensional-only along-track satellite observations of the SSH. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission deploys a new sensor that acquires for the first time wide-swath two-dimensional observations of the SSH. This provides new means to observe the ocean at previously unresolved spatial scales. A critical challenge for the exploiting of SWOT data is the separation of the SSH from other signals present in the observations. In this paper, we propose a novel learning-based approach for this SWOT calibration problem. It benefits from calibrated nadir altimetry products and a scale-space decomposition adapted to SWOT swath geometry and the structure of the different processes in play. In a supervised setting, our method reaches the state-of-the-art residual error of ~1.4cm while proposing a correction on the entire spectral from 10km to 1000kComment: 8 pages, 7 figures, Preprin

SEASTAR: a mission to study ocean submesoscale dynamics and small-scale atmosphere-ocean processes in coastal, shelf and polar seas

High-resolution satellite images of ocean color and sea surface temperature reveal an abundance of ocean fronts, vortices and filaments at scales below 10 km but measurements of ocean surface dynamics at these scales are rare. There is increasing recognition of the role played by small scale ocean processes in ocean-atmosphere coupling, upper-ocean mixing and ocean vertical transports, with advanced numerical models and in situ observations highlighting fundamental changes in dynamics when scales reach 1 km. Numerous scientific publications highlight the global impact of small oceanic scales on marine ecosystems, operational forecasts and long-term climate projections through strong ageostrophic circulations, large vertical ocean velocities and mixed layer re-stratification. Small-scale processes particularly dominate in coastal, shelf and polar seas where they mediate important exchanges between land, ocean, atmosphere and the cryosphere, e.g., freshwater, pollutants. As numerical models continue to evolve toward finer spatial resolution and increasingly complex coupled atmosphere-wave-ice-ocean systems, modern observing capability lags behind, unable to deliver the high-resolution synoptic measurements of total currents, wind vectors and waves needed to advance understanding, develop better parameterizations and improve model validations, forecasts and projections. SEASTAR is a satellite mission concept that proposes to directly address this critical observational gap with synoptic two-dimensional imaging of total ocean surface current vectors and wind vectors at 1 km resolution and coincident directional wave spectra. Based on major recent advances in squinted along-track Synthetic Aperture Radar interferometry, SEASTAR is an innovative, mature concept with unique demonstrated capabilities, seeking to proceed toward spaceborne implementation within Europe and beyond

Altimetry for the future: Building on 25 years of progress

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the ‘‘Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion

Altimetry for the future: building on 25 years of progress

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the “Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion

Etude de scénarios d'altimétrie satellitaire pour le contrôle de la circulation océanique dans l'océan Atlantique tropical par assimilation de données

The main goal of this thesis is to evaluate the contribution of altimetric satellite data to constrain the ocean circulation of the Tropical Altantic through data assimilation.An Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) strategy has been used in a twin experiment context with the NEMO circulation model in an embedded configuration with a 0.25° spatial resolution.These experiments have been distincly performed for two different phenomena in the Tropical Atlantic : the Tropical Instalibity Waves (TIW) and the vortices associated to the North Brazil Current (NBC).Several altimetric scenarios have been tested, with existing satellites (JASON-1, JASON-2 or ENVISAT ...), planned satellites (SARAL) or future projects like SWOT.Different orbit options have been considerated.The main results have shown that if a single satellite is sufficient to constrain the TIW and NBC vortices position, a multi satellite system is necessary to correct their vertical structure.Some orbits turned out to be more favorable than other to correct TIW or NBC vortices.Moreover, the existence of specific sampling criteria (repetitivity cycle, sub-cycles) appeared to be decisive for correction.Improvements with wide swath altimetry assimilation (that should be operational in the next decade) have also been clearly shown.Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif d'évaluer l'apport des données altimétriques satellitaires sur le contrôle des circulations océaniques dans l'océan Atlantique Tropical par assimilation de données.Une méthode d'Expériences de Simulations de Systèmes d'Observations (OSSE) a été appliquée en expériences jumelles avec le modèle de circulation océanique NEMO dans une configuration emboîtée d'une résolution spatiale de 0.25°.Ces expériences ont été réalisées, de manière distinctes, pour deux phénomènes marquants de l'Atlantique Tropical : les ondes tropicales d'instabilités (TIW) et les tourbillons associés au courant du Brésil (NBC).Nous avons testé différents systèmes satellitaires, comprenant des satellites existants (JASON-1, JASON-2, ou ENVISAT ...), des satellites programmés (SARAL) ou encore en projet tels que SWOT.Pour ces derniers, différentes options d'orbites ont été envisagées.Les principaux résultats obtenus ont montré que si un seul satellite est suffisant pour contrôler la propagation des TIW et des tourbillons du NBC, un système multi-satellitaire est nécessaire pour corriger avec précision leur structure verticale.Certaines orbites se sont révélées plus favorables que d'autres pour corriger l'un des deux phénomènes, et l'existence de critères d'échantillonnage spécifiques (cycle de répétitivité, sous-cycles) est apparue comme déterminante.Enfin, les apports de l'atimétrie à large fauchée (qui devrait être opérationnelle dans quelques années) ont été mis clairement en évidence

Etude de scénarios d'altimétrie satellitaire pour le contrôle de la circulation océanique dans l'océan Atlantique tropical par assimilation de données

The main goal of this thesis is to evaluate the contribution of altimetric satellite data to constrain the ocean circulation of the Tropical Altantic through data assimilation.An Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) strategy has been used in a twin experiment context with the NEMO circulation model in an embedded configuration with a 0.25° spatial resolution.These experiments have been distincly performed for two different phenomena in the Tropical Atlantic : the Tropical Instalibity Waves (TIW) and the vortices associated to the North Brazil Current (NBC).Several altimetric scenarios have been tested, with existing satellites (JASON-1, JASON-2 or ENVISAT ...), planned satellites (SARAL) or future projects like SWOT.Different orbit options have been considerated.The main results have shown that if a single satellite is sufficient to constrain the TIW and NBC vortices position, a multi satellite system is necessary to correct their vertical structure.Some orbits turned out to be more favorable than other to correct TIW or NBC vortices.Moreover, the existence of specific sampling criteria (repetitivity cycle, sub-cycles) appeared to be decisive for correction.Improvements with wide swath altimetry assimilation (that should be operational in the next decade) have also been clearly shown.Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif d'évaluer l'apport des données altimétriques satellitaires sur le contrôle des circulations océaniques dans l'océan Atlantique Tropical par assimilation de données.Une méthode d'Expériences de Simulations de Systèmes d'Observations (OSSE) a été appliquée en expériences jumelles avec le modèle de circulation océanique NEMO dans une configuration emboîtée d'une résolution spatiale de 0.25°.Ces expériences ont été réalisées, de manière distinctes, pour deux phénomènes marquants de l'Atlantique Tropical : les ondes tropicales d'instabilités (TIW) et les tourbillons associés au courant du Brésil (NBC).Nous avons testé différents systèmes satellitaires, comprenant des satellites existants (JASON-1, JASON-2, ou ENVISAT ...), des satellites programmés (SARAL) ou encore en projet tels que SWOT.Pour ces derniers, différentes options d'orbites ont été envisagées.Les principaux résultats obtenus ont montré que si un seul satellite est suffisant pour contrôler la propagation des TIW et des tourbillons du NBC, un système multi-satellitaire est nécessaire pour corriger avec précision leur structure verticale.Certaines orbites se sont révélées plus favorables que d'autres pour corriger l'un des deux phénomènes, et l'existence de critères d'échantillonnage spécifiques (cycle de répétitivité, sous-cycles) est apparue comme déterminante.Enfin, les apports de l'atimétrie à large fauchée (qui devrait être opérationnelle dans quelques années) ont été mis clairement en évidence

Etude de scénarios d'altimétrie satellitaire pour le contrôle de la circulation océanique dans l'océan Atlantique tropical par assimilation de données

Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif d'évaluer l'apport des données altimétriques satellitaires sur le contrôle des circulations océaniques dans l'océan Atlantique Tropical par assimilation de données. Une méthode d'Expériences de Simulations de Systèmes d'Observations (OSSE) a été appliquée en expériences jumelles avec le modèle de circulation océanique NEMO dans une configuration emboîtée d'une résolution spatiale de 0.25. Ces expériences ont été réalisées, de manière distinctes, pour deux phénomènes marquants de l'Atlantique Tropical : les ondes tropicales d'instabilités (TIW) et les tourbillons associés au courant du Brésil (NBC). Nous avons testé différents systèmes satellitaires, comprenant des satellites existants (JASON-1, JASON-2, ou ENVISAT ...), des satellites programmés (SARAL) ou encore en projet tels que SWOT. Pour ces derniers, différentes options d'orbites ont été envisagées. Les principaux résultats obtenus ont montré que si un seul satellite est suffisant pour contrôler la propagation des TIW et des tourbillons du NBC, un système multi-satellitaire est nécessaire pour corriger avec précision leur structure verticale. Certaines orbites se sont révélées plus favorables que d'autres pour corriger l'un des deux phénomènes, et l'existence de critères d'échantillonnage spécifiques (cycle de répétitivité, sous-cycles) est apparue comme déterminante. Enfin, les apports de l'atimétrie à large fauchée (qui devrait être opérationnelle dans quelques années) ont été mis clairement en évidence.The main goal of this thesis is to evaluate the contribution of altimetric satellite data to constrain the ocean circulation of the Tropical Altantic through data assimilation. An Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE) strategy has been used in a twin experiment context with the NEMO circulation model in an embedded configuration with a 0.25 spatial resolution. These experiments have been distincly performed for two different phenomena in the Tropical Atlantic : the Tropical Instalibity Waves (TIW) and the vortices associated to the North Brazil Current (NBC). Several altimetric scenarios have been tested, with existing satellites (JASON-1, JASON-2 or ENVISAT ...), planned satellites (SARAL) or future projects like SWOT. Different orbit options have been considerated. The main results have shown that if a single satellite is sufficient to constrain the TIW and NBC vortices position, a multi satellite system is necessary to correct their vertical structure. Some orbits turned out to be more favorable than other to correct TIW or NBC vortices. Moreover, the existence of specific sampling criteria (repetitivity cycle, sub-cycles) appeared to be decisive for correction. Improvements with wide swath altimetry assimilation (that should be operational in the next decade) have also been clearly shown.GRENOBLE1-BU Sciences (384212103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Revised Global Wave Number Spectra From Recent Altimeter Observations

International audienceGlobal sea surface height wave number spectra are revisited using the most recent, lower-noise satellite altimeter missions from Saral/AltiKa and Sentinel-3 and compared to Jason-2 wave number spectra. Spectral preprocessing is configured to minimize the spectral slope distortion in the mesoscale wavelength range. A geographically variable wavelength range is used to calculate the spectral slopes, taking into account the regional eddy length scales based on the local Rossby radius. This dynamical wavelength range increases the spectral slope by 0.5 in middle to high latitudes, compared to a fixed wavelength range, and by -1.0 to 1.0 in different regions of the intertropical band. Using this dynamical wavelength range, mean sea surface height wave number spectra for these lower-noise missions exhibit low slope values (k-2) in the intertropical band, values of k-11/3 in the midlatitudes, and reaches k-5 in the subpolar regions and the Antarctic circumpolar current. An important seasonality is also revealed, with mesoscale spectral slope amplitudes decreasing in winter by 0.5 to 1.5 compared to summer, for the middle- to high-energy regions. A phase-locked internal tide correction is tested but has only a small impact on the spectral slope estimates when using the dynamical wavelength range