The data from Jason-2/Ocean Surface Topography Mission is now available for scientists and to the public. Jason-2’s ocean measurements can be used by scientists studying the ocean, weather and climate change.
The Jason-2/Ocean Surface Topography Mission is a joint project for NOAA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), CNES (France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) and EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) that can measure global sea-level changes and ocean behaviour around storms.
Jason-2 is a follow-on to Jason-1, launched in December 2001 and orbiting 1,330 kilometers (860 miles) above Earth. Jason-1 has been measuring the ocean height to an accuracy of 3.3 centimeters (1.3 inches) and the rate of ocean level increase for the last 7 years.
The data collected will help improve weather, ocean storm and climate predictions by providing information about ocean currents that drive the weather. The satellites survey 95% of the world's ice-free oceans every 10 days. The sea level rise measured has been 0.13 inches (3.3mm) annually; double the rate of the previous century. Much of this increase has been attributed to the warming and expansion of the world’s seas.
Jason-2’s main instrument is an advanced microwave radiometer (to measure the ocean surface height to an accuracy of approximately 1inch (25mm), an advanced global positioning system, and a laser retro-reflector used to make precise ground to satellite measurements for calibration.
NOAA and CNES have monitored the world’s oceans for over 20 years with a series of ocean observation spacecraft: TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and now Jason-2/OSTM. These spacecraft have been providing valuable climate data by monitoring ocean circulation patterns, measuring sea-surface heights and the rate of sea-level rise. They also help with severe weather predictions and NOAA uses the data to map the ocean heat that fuels storms.
There is some concern about the effects of microwave energy on human and animal health, and this must be considered when launching and operatng such a spacecraft.
Trevor Williams is a University of Victoria Mechanical Engineering PhD candidate specialising in renewable energy, power grid modelling and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. He has a bachelors in Aeronautical Engineering, a Masters in Management Science and over 23 years international experience in the space industry, having worked on Earth observation and telecommunications satellites.
Show/Hide comment form
