SWOT data Integration For Tide modelling in COmplex coastal REgions (SWIFT-CORE)

Principle Investigator: Michael Hart-Davis (Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut, Technical University of Munich (DGFI-TUM))

Co-Investigator(s): Ole Andersen, Richard Ray, Edward Zaron, Antonio Bonaduce, Christian Schwatke, Denise Dettmering

---

This project aims to exploit data from both SWOT altimeter systems to better estimate tides in critical coastal regions, particularly in inlets and fjord systems. Scientific exploitation will be done of the SWOT orbit in river mouths, estuarine systems and fjords to provide insight into ocean tides and their variability in these regions, which was previously unattainable from conventional satellite altimetry. Of particular interest is the use of these data in complex coastal regions, where the tides are historically challenging to measure and understand. Here, SWOT data will be used to increase our knowledge of tides in these regions as well as within new regions. Results from these data will be contrasted with state-of-the-art tide models and in-situ observations. The results will be used in an experiment to create the ocean tidal correction for conventional altimetry missions in coastal regions where models are unreliable and assess the impact on the resultant sea level estimations. Another aim of this project is to combine the NADIR data from the SWOT with multi-mission satellite altimetry to assess the impact on empirical ocean tide (EOT) estimations (Hart-Davis et al., 2021). This will involve synchronising the geophysical corrections with those from the altimeter data to provide consistent estimations within the model. Initial experiments will focus on regional models; however, if the results indicate positive outcomes on tidal estimations, the SWOT data will be incorporated into the global model.