Multi-sensor satellite monitoring of ocean climate

Wave height can be measured as accurately from satellite altimeters as from surface buoys and data accumulated since 1985 have been used to show both that the NE Atlantic became rougher and that fluctuations in different oceans may be linked. Planetary waves are an important mechanism for carrying information across ocean basins and may modify currents such as the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio. Detection of one type (Rossby waves) from satellite measurements of sea level, sea temperature and ocean colour will be presented; the inferred characteristics have already led to revisions of standard theories with implications for the way the oceans affect climate. Although unforeseen when the sensors were designed altimeters can also be used to identify rain events. A new precipitation climatology, derived from measured backscatter intensity, will be described and compared with previous work. It has the advantage of using a single sensor-type for tropical to polar latitudes.