AGONIE DE LA MER D’ARAL VUE PAR LES ALTIMETRES RADAR TOPEX ET JASON-1

Abstract

The Aral Sea level has been shrinking since the 60s. Nowadays, the recession of its area is estimated as 50%. In 1989, the Sea split into two basins, the Great and the Small Aral. The small Aral is now stabilized, due to a dam, and its level may even be rising, but the Great Aral is still drying up. Since 1992, altimetry satellites measure sea level continuously and thus enable us to monitor variations in the Aral Sea. In this paper, the processing of Topex and Jason-1 Geophysical Data Records shows that Aral Sea level was decreasing by about 50 cm by year during the period between 1992 and 2008.