The time-varying field of sea surface height (SSH) reflects a large number of dynamical processes including a broad range of baroclinic waves. Inertia-gravity (IG) and Rossby waves (RW) are readily detected in power spectra F(k) of SSH spatial variations, as well as in wavenumber-frequency spectral, ,k), and autocorrelation functions W(). these statistical characteristics contain information on dynamical processes in the upper thermocline. We show that the well-known 3-segment shape of 1-d spectra (based on SSH variations along satellite tracks) is determined by the Internal Rossby radius of deformation and by the degree of nonlinearity of baroclinic IG waves. Analyzing altimeter-based spectra of SSH variations in the light of a recently proposed theory for IG wave turbulence, we demonstrate that baroclinic IG waves are typically highly nonlinear. For a number of mid- and high-latitude regions, the internal Rossby radius and the wave nonlinearity are estimated from T/P data and shown to agree with expected values. The degree of the wave nonlinearity is of great practical interest. In particular, it tells us about the intensity of internal wave breaking. Furthermore, estimating the velocity of baroclinic RW we derive additional information on the upper layer stratification. These experiments point to the feasibility of using observed SSH field statistics (such F(k) and W()) to monitor properties of and dynamical processes in the upper mixed layer of the ocean.

Satellite Altimeter↗

NASA NTRS1994

Accounting for Regional Factors of the Altimeter Sea State Bias

Investigations of the sea state bias in TOPEX altimeter measurements of sea surface height show considerable regional variability of the estimated SSB values.

distortions of surface wave spectra↗

NASA NTRS1994

Basic Statistics of Spatio-Temporal Variations of sea Surface Height Derived From Topex Altimeter Data

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Topex altimeter Sea Surface Height↗

NASA NTRS1994

Spectra of Sea Surface Height Variations in the Absence of Scale Invariance

Wave turbulence is a common property of oceanic wave motions, observed on scales from wind-induced surface capillary-gravity ripples and to those of inertia-gravity and Rossby waves.

inertia-gravity waves↗

NASA NTRS1994

Two-Dimensional Spectra of Sea Level Variations Derived from TOPEX/Poseidon Data

One of the most conspicuous features of oceanic fields is their intrinsic statistical anisotropy and multiple-scale variability.

two-dimensional field of sea surface height wave s↗

NASA NTRS1994

Numerical Analysis of the Sea State Bias for Satellite Altimetry

Theoretical understanding of the sea state bias dependence on wind-wave conditions has been achieved only for a case of uni-directional sea at equilibrium with a steady wind.

multi-modal wave spectra↗