Sea level anomaly is the height of water over the mean sea surface in a given time and region. In this dataset sea level anomalies are computed with respect to a twenty-year mean reference period (1993-2012). Up-to-date altimeter standards are used to estimate the sea level anomalies with a mapping algorithm specifically dedicated to the Mediterranean Sea.
The steady number of reference satellite used in the production of this dataset contributes to the long-term stability of the sea level record. Improvements of the accuracy, sampling of meso-scale processes and of the high-latitude coverage were achieved by using a few additional satellite missions.
This dataset includes uncertainties for each grid cell. More details about the sea level retrieval, additional filters, optimisation procedures, and the error estimation are given in the Documentation section.
Data description
Data type | Gridded |
|---|---|
Horizontal coverage | (29.47, 45.16)°N (-6.00, 36.60)°E: Mediterranean Sea. |
Horizontal resolution | 0.125° x 0.125° |
Temporal coverage | 1 January 1993 to 3 June 2020 |
Temporal resolution | Daily |
File format | NetCDF-4 |
Versions | vDT2018 |
Update frequency | No longer updated |
Main variables
Name | Units | Description |
|---|---|---|
Absolute dynamic topography | m | Sea surface height above the geoid computed as the sum of the sea level anomaly with the mean dynamic topography. |
Absolute geostrophic velocity meridian component | m s-1 | Northward component of the absolute geostrophic current. |
Absolute geostrophic velocity zonal component | m s-1 | Eastward component of the absolute geostrophic current. |
Geostrophic velocity anomalies meridian component | m s-1 | Northward component of the geostrophic current. |
Geostrophic velocity anomalies zonal component | m s-1 | Eastward component of the geostrophic current. |
Sea level anomaly | m | Sea surface height above mean sea surface computed with respect to a 20-year mean reference period (1993-2012). |