SWOT Oceanographic Research and Application in Canada

Principle Investigator: Guoqi Han (Institute of Ocean Sciences)

Co-Investigator(s): Will Perrie, Charles Hannah, Laura Bianucci, Fredric Cyr, Nicolas Grisouard, Jody Klymak, Gregory Smith, Rene Chenier, Pascal Matte

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The advent of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) wide-swath altimetry provides unprecedented opportunity for Canada to monitor and forecast its vast coastal zones and continental shelves for marine navigation, emergency response, blue economy, and climate change adaptation. In the previous phase of the SWOT Science Team (2020-2023), we studied (1) coastal currents, mesoscale and submesoscale processes from nadir altimetry and synthetic aperture radar imagery; (2) developed tide, circulation and wave models; (3) developed methods for reconstructing coastal currents from simulated SWOT data; (4) investigated interactions and separation techniques between internal tides and geostrophic flows; (5) developed operational ocean models that could assimilate SWOT data; and (6) carried out field campaigns off the west and east coasts of Canada during the SWOT 1-day repeat phase.

For the post-launch Science Team from 2024 to 2027, we will use SWOT data (1) to improve knowledge on coastal oceanographic processes and to enhance monitoring of currents, fronts, and storm surges in Canada’s coastal oceans; (2) to better understand the dynamics and kinematic processes of sub-mesoscale and mesoscale processes including eddies, currents, ocean waves, their roles in ocean transport, and their feedbacks to the atmosphere; (3) to derive tides and improve coastal tide models for better de-tiding and for continuous vertical datum in Canadian coastal oceans; (4) to disentangle internal waves from submesoscale features; and (5) to improve Canadian regional and coastal ocean-ice prediction systems through data assimilation. Furthermore, we will carry out field surveys to validate SWOT data during the 21-day science mission phase, as well as develop models and tools to interpret and integrate SWOT data into oceanographic research, development and application in Canada.

The project contributes to the overarching objective of the SWOT Science Team by demonstrating the potential of the SWOT observing capabilities in societally-relevant oceanic and atmospheric science studies in Canada. It addresses Priority (1) Understanding measurement physics and data challenges to improve the utility of SWOT data products, by providing better detiding in coastal regions and by disentangling internal waves and sub-mesoscale features, and by assimilating SWOT data into Canadian operational ocean models. The project addresses Priority (2) Novel Earth science and research applications with SWOT observations, by generating new knowledge on coastal, mesoscale and submesoscale processes and integrate SWOT data into Government of Canada’s service delivery such as the state of the ocean report, marine forecasts, and continuous vertical datum.

The project will develop innovative methods that integrate SWOT data with in situ and other remote sensing data to enhance Canada’s capacity in monitoring, understanding and forecasting its vast ocean environments. It will benefit marine navigation and safety, ocean environment protection, marine ecosystem management, and climate change adaptation.