Fabrice Ardhuin (IFREMER, France); Gérald Dibarboure (CNES, France); Lucile Gaultier (Ocean Data Lab, France)

New concepts of Ocean surface current missions are emerging (e.g. SKIM, WACM). A common characteristic of these concepts is the measurement of radial velocities unevenly distributed on a swath. We propose here a multivariate Optimal Interpolation method to reconstruct the full surface current involving a rotational and divergent Helmotz decomposition. An Observing System Simulation Experiment of the SKIM concept (proposed for EE9, Ardhuin et al) has been tested, suggesting interesting resolving capabilities for the full surface current under 100km wavelength. In the context of high resolution altimetry, the addition of surface current at similar resolution may bring very useful information and help solving the challenge of balanced dynamics and internal waves separation. We propose here a general description of the mapping method (to be applied to any radial observation of the mesoscale current) and to go over the anticipated performances for high level SKIM products. The possibility of combining altimetry and radial velocity observations in the same multi-variate OI inversion will be also shown.