Comparisons of Ocean Currents Observed from Drifters and TP/ERS in the East Sea

Abstract

Ocean currents estimated from sea height anomalies derived from inter-calibrated TP/ERS are compared with daily mean currents measured with satellite-tracked drifters. The correlation coefficient between the geostrophic current from TP/ERS and surface current at 15 m depth from drifter tracks was found to be about 0.5. Due to the limitation of satellite ground tracks, small scale eddies less than 80 km are poorly resolved from TP/ERS. One of the interesting results of this study is that coastal currents along the eastern coast of Korea were well reproduced from sea height anomalies when the coastal currents were developed in association with eddies near the South Korean coast. The eddy kinetic energy (EKE) estimated from drifters, TP/ERS, and a numerical model are also compared. The EKE estimated from drifters was about 22% higher than EKE calculated from TP/ERS. The pattern of low EKE level in the northern basin and high EKE level in the southern East Sea is shown in the EKE estimates derived from both the drifters and TP/ERS.