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M2 Internal Tides and Their Observed Wavenumber Spectra from Satellite Altimetry

Description: 
A near-global chart of surface elevations associated with the stationary M2 internal tide is empirically constructed from multimission satellite altimeter data. An advantage of a strictly empirical mapping approach is that results are independent of assumptions about ocean wave dynamics and, in fact, can be used to test such assumptions. A disadvantage is that present-day altimeter coverage is only marginally adequate to support mapping such short-wavelength features. Moreover, predominantly north–south ground-track orientations and contamination from nontidal oceanographic variability can lead to deficiencies in mapped tides. Independent data from Cryosphere Satellite-2 (CryoSat-2) and other altimeters are used to test the solutions and show positive reduction in variance except in regions of large mesoscale variability. The tidal fields are subjected to two-dimensional wavenumber spectral analysis, which allows for the construction of an empirical map of modal wavelengths. Mode-1 wavelengths show good agreement with theoretical wavelengths calculated from the ocean’s mean stratification, with a few localized exceptions (e.g., Tasman Sea). Mode-2 waves are detectable in much of the ocean, with wavelengths in reasonable agreement with theoretical expectations, but their spectral signatures grow too weak to map in some regions.
Record Format: 
application/pdf
2016-01-01T08:00:00Z
Subject: 
Wavenumber
Altimetry
Cryosphere
Wavelengths
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Type: 
text
Raw Url: 
http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/do/oai/?metadataPrefix=&verb=GetRecord&identifier=oai:pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu:cengin_fac-1389
Source: 
Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations
Repository Record Id: 
oai:pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu:cengin_fac-1389
SetSpec: 
publication:communities
publication:mcecs
publication:cengin_fac
publication:cengin
Record Title: 
M2 Internal Tides and Their Observed Wavenumber Spectra from Satellite Altimetry
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cengin_fac/375
info:doi/10.1175/JPO-D-15-0065.1
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/context/cengin_fac/article/1389/viewcontent/434174.pdf
Database: 
Resource OE Format: 
randomness