15 years of altimetry at various scales over the mediterranean

Abstract

The present article reviews the application of altimetry in the Mediterranean Sea, to study the circulation and sea surface height variability, both at basin scale and in specific regions. The improvements needed to fully exploit the 15-year record of data close to the coast are also discussed. These range from improved tidal models, to specialized atmospheric corrections, to ad hoc screening of data in proximity of the coast. Some of these improvements are already underway while others are the focus of forthcoming programs. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.