Measuring global mean sea level changes with surface drifting buoys

Autor: Elipot, Shane
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Druh dokumentu: Working Paper
DOI: 10.1029/2020GL091078
Popis: Combining ocean model data and in-situ Lagrangian data, I show that an array of surface drifting buoys tracked by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), such as the Global Drifter Program, could provide estimates of global mean sea level (GMSL) and its changes, including linear decadal trends. For a sustained array of 1250 globally distributed buoys with a standardized design, I demonstrate that GMSL decadal linear trend estimates with an uncertainty less than 0.3 mm yr$^{-1}$ could be achieved with GNSS daily random error of 1.6 m or less in the vertical direction. This demonstration assumes that controlled vertical position measurements could be acquired from drifting buoys, which is yet to be demonstrated. Development and implementation of such measurements could ultimately provide an independent and resilient observational system to infer natural and anthropogenic sea level changes, augmenting the on-going tide gauge and satellites records.
Comment: resubmitted to AGU Geophysical Research Letters
Databáze: arXiv