Comparison of in situ bottom pressure data with GRACE gravimetry in the Crozet-Kerguelen region - art. no. L21601

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Rietbroek, Roelof, Le Grand, Pascal, Wouters, B, Lemoine, J, Ramillien, G, Hughes, C. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Geophysical Union 2006
• Subjects: Oceanic mass variation; Geostrophy; Water height; Kerguelen island; Crozet islands; Kerguelen; Kerguelen Island; Kerguelen Islands; Crozet Islands
• Online Access: https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2006/publication-2088.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027452; https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/2088/

Two time series of deep ocean bottom pressure records (BPRs) in between the Crozet Islands and Kerguelen are compared with GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) equivalent water heights. An analysis of the correlation is performed for four time series: 1) monthly averages of the equivalent water height at the Crozet Islands, 2) the same near the Kerguelen Islands, 3) the mean of the two preceding series and 4) the difference between the two locations expressed in terms of geostrophic transport. We find that smoothed GRACE solutions are strongly correlated with the BPR data with correlation coefficients in the order of 0.7-0.8. Consequently GRACE measures real oceanic mass variations in this region.