Tide gauges have measured sea level over the last 200 years, with some records extending back to 1807. One disadvantage to tide gauges, though, is that they only provide regional coverage. The satellite altimetric record, on the other hand, provides accurate measurements of sea level with near-global coverage. The disadvantage of satellite data, however, is that the satellite ocean altimetry record only goes back to 1992.
State of the Ocean (SOTO) is a suite of tools presented through an interactive, web-based visualization front end. It provides access to a broad range of satellite-derived products with key parameters of interest to the oceanographic community. SOTO facilitates visual exploration and comparative analysis of physical oceanographic data, enabling scientific oceanographic, climate, and related research.
SWOT also carries a novel instrument called the Ka-band Radar Interferometer ( KaRIn ), which uses a part of the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (., the Ka-band) and the principles of synthetic aperture radar ( SAR ) combined with interferometry to measure the surface height of water. KaRIn obtains these measurements by emitting a cloud-penetrating microwave radar signal from one end of the satellite’s 10-meter-wide boom. When the signal hits the surface and gets reflected back, antennae on both ends of the boom receive the signal, allowing it to capture data from two 30-mile (50-kilometer) wide swaths on both sides of the spacecraft. (The altimeter aboard SWOT collects data, in part, in the 12-mile [20-kilometer] gap between KaRIn's swaths.)
Our data products include information about ocean processes including ocean circulation and surface winds; heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere, including sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and sea surface height; and factors impacting water quality, including turbidity, chlorophyll concentrations, and colored dissolved organic matter. In addition, our ocean data provide optical information that aids in assessing trends in global mean sea level.
Bates, S. (2021). Scientists Use NASA Satellite Data to Track Ocean Microplastics From Space . NASA Earth Science News Team. June 28, 2021.
The primary instruments for measuring ocean color include the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the joint NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) and NOAA-20 satellites, and the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite. The joint NASA/USGS Landsat series of satellites and the ESA Sentinel-2 satellites can also be used for observations of coastal waters and lakes.
Visit Worldview to visualize near real-time imagery from NASA's EOSDIS; find more imagery in our Worldview weekly image archive .
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