Corrections of Mesoscale Eddies and Kuroshio Extension Surface Velocities Derived from Satellite Altimeters

Abstract

Oceanic datasets derived from satellite altimeters are of great significance to physical oceanography and ocean dynamics research and the protection of marine environmental resources. Ageostrophic velocity induced by centrifugal force is not considered in altimeter products. This study introduces an iterative method to perform cyclogeostrophic corrections of mesoscale eddies’ surface velocities derived from satellite altimeters. The corrected eddy velocity field and geostrophic velocity field were compared by combining eddy detection and mathematical statistics methods. The results show that eddies with small curvature radii, high roundness, or Rossby number larger than 0.1 illustrate that cyclogeostrophic correction is required. The cyclogeostrophic velocity is greater (less) than the geostrophic velocity in anticyclonic (cyclonic) eddies. Additionally, the iterative method is applied to cyclogeostrophic-corrected multi-year (1998–2012) Kuroshio surface velocities. The effect of cyclogeostrophic correction is significant for the Kuroshio Extension region, where the maximum relative difference of velocities with and without correction is about 10% and the eddy kinetic energy is 20%.