Understanding ocean surface dynamics with satelite data

Research Project, 2015 – 2019

The objective of this proposal is to develop and improve surface current retrieval algorithms and correlate them with surface wind retrieval algorithms to estimate surface drift. The project is subdivided in two subprojects:Subproject 1: Development of algorithms for surface current retrieval with satellite dataThis PhD project will focus on development, improvement and evaluation of ocean currents retrieval algorithms using satellite data. The work will be based on the along track interferometry algorithm for SAR data and the maximum cross correlation algorithm for radiometer data.Subproject 2: Study of the correlation between surface winds and currents with satellite data.Here the focus will be on the use of ocean surface current and wind data from available retrieval algorithms for estimates of ocean surface drift. The results will be compared with ocean and climatic models and with theoretical estimates of ocean surface boundary conditions. The areas of interest are; Swedish waters, Fram Strait, the Barents Sea and Kara Sea in the Arctic region, and the Amundsen Sea in the Antarctic region.The main part of the work in subproject 1 will be performed by a new PhD student that will be employed at Chalmers University of Technology and in subproject 2 by two researchers employed at Chalmers University of Technology. The intended project time is three years for subproject 1 and two years for subproject 2. The project will continue and further strengthen the ongoing collaboration on ocean parameter retrieval between the Radar Remote Sensing Group at Chalmers and Oceanography group at the University of Gothenburg.