CoAuthors

Isabelle Pujol (CLS, France); Yannice Faugere (CLS, France); Quentin Dagneaux (CELAD, France); Gerald Dibarboure (CNES, France); Nicolas Picot (CNES, France)

A new Mean Sea Surface model, the CNES_cLS_2019 MSS, has been determined. It is based on the integration of more than 25 years of altimetric data, using more than 10 altimeters from the historical Topex/Poseidon to the in-flight Sentienl-3A mission, including repetitives and geodetic/drifting orbits. Like the previous 2015 version this new determination is focused on the fallowing points of improvement which remains a permanent challenge:
• the correction of ocean variability, especially for wavelengths between 50 and 200 km.
• the accuracy of altimetric data and therefore of the MSS near the coast, particularly since MSS can serve as a reference for studying the coastal vulnerability.
• a fine-tuned determination of the Arctic zone, which is a major indicator of climate change.
• a most accurate mapping of the finest topographic structures for wavelengths shorter than 50 km, in preparation of a new reference for the upcoming SWOT mission.
We therefore propose a synthesis of analyzes of these different aspects in order to quantify the improvements of this new MSS compared to the other existing models.