Estimating temporal variations in ocean circulation using magnetic satellite data

CIRES Fellow Manoj Nair and PhD candidate Neesha Schnepf will develop an innovative technique to measure ocean tides and currents using magnetic information. This study may provide the first satellite identification of temporal magnetic field variations caused by ocean currents. This would provide an innovative tool for oceanographic remote sensing, as well as further enable the integration of satellite, aircraft, and surface-based measurements, in conjunction with models and simulations of oceanic magnetic fields. The team, part of the Geomagnetic Group in NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, will focus on identifying signals from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the Kuroshio Current (KC) and Arctic Ocean currents (likely to be under sea-ice), using data from both the Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Swarm satellite mission. Findings from this study promise to give scientists better tools for understanding how ocean currents are changing on a global scale.