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From the "JPL Universe"
December 18, 1992

TOPEX data show role of eddies in ocean circulation
By Mary Hardin

     Preliminary results from the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite's
radar altimeter have enabled scientists to create a global image
of the world's oceans that shows how swirls of ocean currents,
called eddies, change over distances of tens to hundreds of
kilometers during time periods that range from weeks to months.
     "Eddies play an important role in ocean circulation because
they transport an enormous amount of heat, salt, nutrients and
other chemicals in the ocean," said JPL Project Scientist Dr.
Lee-Lueng Fu. It is this process of ocean circulation that helps
to shape the global climate, he continued.
     "The data were collected during a 10 day period from Oct. 3
to 12, 1992 and were processed using preliminary algorithms that
have not yet been adjusted based on post-launch calibrations," Fu
said.
     The altimeter measures the height of the sea surface along
the satellite's ground track which covers the entire global ocean
every 10 days.  After subtracting a model of the mean sea surface
height from the satellite measurements, JPL's Oceanography Group
produced the image showing sea surface height due to changes in
ocean current.
     "This is a snapshot that doesn't coincide with the multi-
year average of past ocean observations," Fu said, "It shows that
the ocean changes constantly."
     Areas of sea surface height greater than 25 cm occur mainly
in regions of the following strong currents: The Gulf Stream off
the east coast of the United States, the Kuroshio current off the
east coast of Japan, the East Australian Current, the Agulhas
Current south of South Africa, the Somali Current off Somalia,
and the convergence of the Brazil Current and the Falkland
Current off the central east coast of South America. A chain of
secondary highs can be seen north of Antarctica.
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