Synergy between CMEMS products and newly available data from SENTINEL

Abstract

This study explores the synergy between the CMEMS Monitoring and Forecasting Centres model products and the newly available satellite data. Working with these complementary sources of reliable information is useful not only for validation and assimilation purposes but also to explore in depth both the temporal and spatial scales of variability in European seas. The quality of the newly available Sentinel-3A (S3) data is assessed in comparison with data from Jason-3 (J3) at regional scales. The general performance of the wave products is very good and fairly similar compared to both satellite products. The assimilation of these satellite data in the global Monitoring and Forecasting Centres has indicated the skill of the system during storms generating high waves (Aouf ). The joined satellite and model analyses also demonstrates the capabilities of CMEMS as a whole, and the potential benefits of merging observational and modelled Copernicus products (Wiese et al. Behrens et al. ;).