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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS,
VOL. 30, NO. 22,
2163,
doi:10.1029/2003GL018622,
2003
Large scale ocean circulation from the GRACE GGM01 Geoid
B. D. Tapley
Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
D. P. Chambers
Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
S. Bettadpur
Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
J. C. Ries
Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
Abstract
The GRACE Gravity Model 01 (GGM01), computed from 111 days of GRACE K-band ranging (KBR) data, is differenced from a global
mean sea surface (MSS) computed from a decade of satellite altimetry to determine a mean dynamic ocean topography (DOT). As
a test of the GGM01 gravity model, large-scale zonal and meridional surface geostrophic currents are computed from the topography
and are compared with those derived from a mean hydrographic surface. Reduction in residual RMS between the two by 30–60%
(and increased correlation) indicates that the GGM01 geoid represents a dramatic improvement over older geoid models, which
were developed from multiple satellite tracking data, altimetry, and surface gravity measurements. For the first time, all
major current systems are clearly observed in the DOT from space-based measurements.
Received 12
September
2003;
accepted 28
October
2003;
published 25
November
2003.
Index Terms: 4532 Oceanography: Physical: General circulation; 1214 Geodesy and Gravity: Geopotential theory and determination; 1294 Geodesy and Gravity: Instruments and techniques; 4594 Oceanography: Physical: Instruments and techniques.
Read Full Article (file size: 232090 bytes) Cited by
Citation: Tapley, B. D., D. P. Chambers, S. Bettadpur, and J. C. Ries
(2003),
Large scale ocean circulation from the GRACE GGM01 Geoid,
Geophys. Res. Lett.,
30(22),
2163,
doi:10.1029/2003GL018622.
Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.
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