Satellite Altimetry Observations of Large-Scale Internal Solitary Waves

Abstract

High sampling rate altimetry and near-simultaneous synthetic aperture radar image data reveal short-period oscillations, which are identified for the first time as internal solitary waves. Their rough and slick patterns introduce mixed contributions in the altimeter’s footprint, contradicting the assumption of a uniform Brown surface. The resulting geophysical parameters are significantly changed in the waves’ surroundings, yielding unrealistic estimates when compared with the unperturbed background. A statistical analysis is presented for the South China Sea to infer the frequency of the phenomena, whereas possible implications are briefly discussed in the framework of present and forthcoming altimeter missions.