Mean dynamic topography over Peninsular Malaysian seas using multimission satellite altimetry

Abstract

The development of satellite altimeters (SALTs) has brought huge benefits, among which is the ability to more adequately sense ocean-surface topography. The radar altimeter database system was used to capture and process ENVISAT, CRYOSAT-2, SARAL, JASON-1, and JASON-2 SALT data of 5 years between 2011 and 2015. The time series of monthly multimission SALT data showed an estimated sea level trend of 1.0, 2.4, 2.4, 3.6, and 12.0 mm/year at Gelang, Port Kelang, Kukup, Cendering, and Keling. The correlation analysis for the selected tide gauge stations produced satisfying results of R-squared with 0.86, 0.89, 0.91, and 0.97 for Cendering, Sedili, Gelang, and Geting, respectively. The ITG-Grace2010s geoid model was used to compute the mean dynamic topography (MDT) and plot to a grid of 0.25 deg for the Malacca Strait and South China Sea of Peninsular Malaysia, with Keling, Port Kelang, Geting, Sedili, and Johor Bahru tide gauge stations having values determined by interpolation to be 1.14, 1.19, 1.26, 1.88, and 2.91 m, respectively. MDT is computed from the SALT with respect to Port Kelang, the north–south sea slope ranges between −0.64 and 0.29 m/50 km and −0.01 and 0.52 m/50 km along the east and west coasts of Peninsular Malaysia, respectively.