Home    Printable version    Sitemap    Glossary    Contacts

2. Data use cases

In this section, we propose you with some practical examples of the applications of altimetry data. The type of data to use, the methodology and the main computations are detailed, as well as how to work with data using the Basic Radar Altimetry Toolbox. Note that these examples are meant to give you the general guidelines, and that some adaptation will be necessary to use them in other contexts.

• Ocean

  • Western boundary currents: the Gulf Stream and its seasonal variations
  • Altimetry data processing for mesoscale studies: ocean eddies in the Kuroshio current
  • Altimetry data processing for mesoscale studies: Computing Geostrophic velocities
  • Altimetry for coastal studies: The North Western Mediterranean Sea
  • Altimetry for coastal studies: The Agulhas current by using coastal dedicated products
  • Altimetry for coastal studies: The Florida Keys currents by using coastal dedicated products

• Ice

  • Sea ice studies: Altimetry and radiometry for sea ice classification
  • Ice studies: Altimetry for observing polar ice caps
  • Ice studies: Cryosat over continental ice
  • Sea ice studies: Cryosat over sea ice

• Climate

  • Monitoring climate events: El Niño and ocean planetary waves
  • Monitoring climate change: mean sea level

• Atmosphere, wind & waves

  • Wind & waves: seasonal distribution of Significant Wave Height
  • Altimetry for extreme weather studies: Hurricane Katrina

• Hydrology & land

  • Temporal water surface height variations in enclosed areas: the Amazon Basin
  • Hydrology: Aral Sea level
  • Land studies: Altimetry over continental surfaces
  • Hydrology: Altimetric waveforms for monitoring lakes level
  • Hydrology: Altimetry for lake/reservoir studies by using hydrology dedicated products
  • Hydrology: Altimetry for wetland studies by using hydrology dedicated products

• Geodesy & geophysics

  • Altimetry and gravimetry: Use of GOCE toolbox in oceanography with altimetry

All rights reserved, copyright © 2006-2011
Tutorial produced by CLS under contract to ESA and CNES