DETERMINATION DU NIVEAU MOYEN DE LA MEDITERRANEE ET L’ETUDE DE SA VARIABILITE : ANALYSE DES DONNEES DU SATELLITE JASON-2

Abstract

The sea surface height can be determined by satellite altimetry, highlighting and understanding of oceanographic and geophysical phenomena arising today is a challenge that the comprehension requires many successive altimetrics missions. The Jason-2 mission is scheduled to meet these expectations. The analysis and processing of Jason-2 measurements requires finding a high accuracy in the determination of the parameters to access the calculation of the sea surface height above a reference ellipsoid. In this article, we will process six (05) years of Jason-2 altimeter measurement to determinate an accurate geoid height over the western Mediterranean sea. The adapted model of sea surface determination is based on the propagation corrections, geophysical corrections and the reduction of orbit error. The result surface will allow us to calculate the dynamic topography of the sea and explore its variability.