Detection with deep overflows with satellite altimetry

Abstract

In-situ observations downstream of the sills in the Faroe Bank Channel and Denmark Strait show large temperature and current variability of the overflows with time-scales of a few days. These fluctuations are associated with meso-scale eddies and have an impact on sea surface height. This is confirmed by observations from the TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS 1+2 satellites that show substantial enhancement of eddy kinetic energy and sea level variability immediately downstream of the sills.