SARAL-ALTIKA Science Plan:

Status

RM Gairola and Jacques Verron

Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, India

Laboratoire des Ecoulements Geophysiques et Industriels (LEGI), France

AltiKa/SARAL Mission Scientific Objectives

AltiKa/SARAL central objective :

Ocean meso-scale variability:

Data assimilation:

Coastal altimetry:

Other Objectives :

Climate Change: Mean sea level

Inland ice sheet monitoring

Light rainfall and clouds climatology

Operational oceanography

Continental waters

Geophysical and geological investigations

Progress Status on Scientific Activities Regarding AltiKa Mission :

1. 16-17 Sept. 2008: First National SARAL Workshop at SpaceApplications Centre, Ahmedabad.

2. 22-23 April, 2009: First ISRO-CNES Workshop on SARAL-AltiKaScience & Applications was organized on at Space ApplicationsCentre, Ahmedabad.

3. April 24, 2009: First meeting of the ISRO-CNES Joint ScienceWorking Group (JSWG), at SAC Ahmedbad.

4. October 2009: Presentation of SARAL Science and CALVAL Plan(draft versions) in the frame of CNES/ISRO/EUMETSATSARAL System Review in Toulouse

5. Joint Announcement of Opportunity for SARAL/AltiKa. Proposals were solicited and Informations were made available on AVISO website and ISRO websites.

6. April 1, 2010: Second meeting of the Joint Science Working Group (JSWG), at SAC Ahmedbad, for selection of PIs based on AO.

7. April 15, 2010: Global AO Projects (of 30 projects from 12countries) has been initiated after recommendations from JSWG.

8. Second SARAL-AltiKa Science & Applications Meet at SpaceApplications Centre, 15-17 March, 2011 - ON-GOING

Ocean Mesoscale variability studies Data assimilation in 

global and regional models

Multisatellite mesoscale variability

Assimilation of SLA into OGCM

Assim. of altimeter data into wave  models

Assimilation of SLA into coastal models 

in the oceansGlobal sea level 

rise

Polar ice dynamics from 

multisatellites

Exploring altimetry for continental waters

Estimation of precipitation

Geodetic investigations in the offshores

Indian National Projects:

Total No. of Projects: 13 from ISRO, 11 Indian National from 10 Institutions (+14 New Proposals Reviewed)

1. Retrieval and Range Corrections

2. Ocean Mesoscale variability

3. Coastal and inland altimetry

4. Data assimilation

5. Climate and Process Studies

6. Cal/val activity

French National Projects:

Total No. of Projects: 16 proposals received from 7 Institutions in France against the Announcement of Opportunity.

Themes:

1. Cal/val activities, reprocessing

2. Coastal/regional altimetry

3. Ocean dynamics

4. Inland water monitoring

5. Ice studies

6. Assimilation in numerical models and

7. Outreach activities.

Global AO Projects:

Total No. of Projects: 30 proposals were received from 10 countriesagainst the Announcement of Opportunity:

• USA (11), Spain (3), Germany (3), Australia (3), UK (2), Taïwan (1),Portugal (1), Japan (1), Greece (1), Brazil (1), India (3)]

• Large Institutional representation: JPL, NOAA, US NAVY, NRL,ECMWF, CSIRO

• High Quality of proposals and teams, most of them well-known inthe OSTST context

• Good coverage of the topics / adequacy to the call

Coverage of AO Themes:

• Cal/Val global & in situ, • Parameter analysis & reprocessing, • Coastal/regional altimetry • Ocean dynamics• Operational/model/assimilation,• Continental waters, ice• Mean sea level• Polar/Sea Ice

Total Projects (Indian, French, Global)

1. No. of Countries: 12

2. No. of Projects: 84 (70 + 14)

3. Total No. of Investigators (PI+CIs): >300

MesoscaleVariabilitySea level

Ice sheetmonitoring

Sea state

OperationalOceanography

Coastal ocean

Continental waters

Assimilation

Cal‐Val

3

69

4

12

32

19

Misc.2

5

PI selection: topics

AltiKa designed to… Fill the post-ENVISAT «gap»Reach the mission objectives derived from post-GODAE/IGOS requirements… in complement to the operational Jason-2 mission

Double approach for SARAL/AltiKaContribution to the general altimetric satellite goalsSpecific scientific objectives related to Ka band new capabilities

Strong opportunity for scientific cooperationsAltiKa Payload as a precursor for future altimetry systems ?

Dual-technique altimetry system based on Ka-band altimeters and wide swath altimeters (e.g. Ka-band Radar Interferometer –KaRIN- for SWOT)

Assessment

Data Assimilation Techniques (EnKF, SEEKF, 3D, 4D Var) for Integrated use (model, assimilation)Coastal OceanographyA multidimensional oceanic perspective:

General circulations, mesoscales, planetary wavesClimate, sea level

Other scientific interfacesHydrologyIce

… Assessment & Prioritisation …

Future Actions

1. ISRO-CNES Joint Science Plan Finalization (JSWG Meeting on 16th March)