SWOT Applications and Validation from Antarctica to Australia (SAVAA)

Principal Investigator: Benoit Legresy (CSIRO)

Co-Investigator(s): Bea Pena Molino, Annie Foppert, Helen Phillips, Laura Herraiz Borreguero, Maxim Nikurashin, Kurt Polzin, Andrew Thompson, Rosemary Morrow, Petra Heil, Gabriela Semolini-Pilo, David Griffin, Paul Sandery, Clothilde Langlais, Matt Garthwaite, Janet Anstee, Tim McVicar

Collaborator(s): Yann Treden Tranchant

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Geographical areas of interest, datasets and complementary data:

• WP1 focuses on the Southern Ocean, with a focus of initial fieldwork in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and in the meander south of Tasmania (RV Investigator SWOT-ACC Nov-Dec 2023), extending to circumpolar analyses. It also extends into the Antarctic coastal zone, and continental margin transition zone and the seaice zone.
  • The main datasets used will be Level 2 LR
  • The complementary datasets include other satellite oceanography standards, reanalysis, regional ocean models, and a very significant amount of very varied in situ data from Ship based observations, Moorings, gliders, Argo floats, drifters, and other datasets where needed to respond to the challenges of the changing southern ocean.
• WP2 focuses on the Australian region of the ocean (the standard area is from 100E to 180E and from 50S to 5S) and extends from the open ocean to the coastal zone.
  • The main datasets used will be Level 2 LR.
  • The complementary datasets include a whole suite of remote sensing products ingested through fit for purpose engines as well as all useful datasets of the regional Ocean Observing system and in particular the IMOS supported observations.
• WP3 focuses on regional applications around Australia where SWOT data can be useful to validate models and develop assimilation into those models.
  • The main datasets used will be Level 2 LR.
  • The models used here use a whole suite of forcings (atmospheric, boundary, larger scale models, analysis and/or projections) and standard assimilated ocean data (including satellite altimetry, SST, floats and other in situ operational datasets).
• WP4 will extend on Inland Australian waters. Potential applications include Lakes and Reservoirs and major rivers.
  • The main datasets will be the L2 lake and river products the use of SWOT mission data portals will be crucial to those developments.
  • Complementary data will vary with applications and opportunities but will include in situ ssh observations of water levels for cal/val purposes, area cover and land cover information, potentially hydrologic models.