CoAuthors

Jerome Bouffard (Rhea, Belgium c/o ESA/ESRIN, Italy); Andrea Doglioli (MIO (Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography), France); Anne Petrenko (MIO (Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography), France)

The proposed paper addresses the issue of exploiting and cross-comparing coastal altimetry, in situ data and model-based approaches to monitor the positioning and intensity of the Mediterranean Northern Current (NC). The approach is based on the combination of several tracks from different altimetric missions (lasting more than 12 years), in order to reduce the residual noise and detect the NC position. To achieve this goal, several multi sensor platforms (MVP (Moving Vessel Profiler), ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) and CTD) from marine observatories and cruise campaign (OSCAHR: Observing Submesoscale Coupling At High Resolution) as well as a numerical simulation (SYMPHONIE model), have been conjointly used in order to validate and optimize the altimetry processing methods . Across-track geostrophic currents derived from several altimetric datasets (PEACHI (Experimental Products), X-Track, AVISO) have been cross-compared to the SYMPHONIE model in order to statistically characterize the NC position and intensity over the Ligurian Sea and the Gulf of Lion. MVP , CTD and ADCP measurements from the OSCAHR cruise campaign as well as the JULIO (Judicious Location for Intrusion Observation) current meter have also been processed and compared with geo-located altimetric tracks. The obtained results show a good agreement and pave the way for the definition of new science oriented diagnostics particularly relevant for next altimetric satellite missions (Sentinel-3, Sentinel-6).