Monitoring absolute vertical land motions and absolute sea-level changes from GPS and tide gauges data over French Polynesia

In this study,we estimate the absolute vertical land motions at three tidal stations with collocated Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)receivers over French Polynesia during the period 2007-2020,and obtain,as ancillary results,estimates of the absolute changes in sea level at the same locations.To verify our processing approach to determining vertical motion,we first modeled vertical motion at the International GNSS Service(IGS)THTI station located in the capital island of Tahiti and compared our estimate with previous independent determinations,with a good agreement.We obtained the following estimates for the vertical land motions at the tide gauges:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago-0.92±0.17 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:-0.49±0.39 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago-0.43±0.17 mm/yr.The absolute variations of the sea level are:Tubuai island,Austral Archipelago 5.25±0.60 mm/yr,Vairao village,Tahiti Iti:3.62±0.52 mm/yr,Rikitea,Gambier Archipelago 1.52±0.23 mm/yr.We discuss these absolute values in light of the values obtained from altimetric measurements and other means in French Polynesia.

Combination of Tsoft and ET34-ANA-V80 software for the preprocessing and analysis of tide gauge data in French Polynesia

Since 2008 a network of five sea-level monitoring stations was progressively installed in French Polynesia.The stations are autonomous and data,collected at a sampling rate of 1 or 2 min,are not only recorded locally,but also transferred in real time by a radio-link to the NOAA through the GOES satellite.The new ET34-ANA-V80 version of ETERNA,initially developed for Earth Tides analysis,is now able to analyze ocean tides records.Through a two-step validation scheme,we took advantage of the flexibility of this new version,operated in conjunction with the preprocessing facilities of the Tsoft software,to recover co rrected data series able to model sea-level variations after elimination of the ocean tides signal.We performed the tidal analysis of the tide gauge data with the highest possible selectivity(optimal wave grouping)and a maximum of additional terms(shallow water constituents).Our goal was to provide corrected data series and modelled ocean tides signal to compute tide-free sea-level variations as well as tidal prediction models with centimeter precision.We also present in this study the characteristics of the ocean tides in French Polynesia and preliminary results concerning the non-tidal variations of the sea level concerning the tide gauge setting.

Accuracy assessment of global ocean tide models in the South China Sea using satellite altimeter and tide gauge data

In this study,to meet the need for accurate tidal prediction,the accuracy of global ocean tide models was assessed in the South China Sea(0°–26°N,99°–121°E).Seven tide models,namely,DTU10,EOT11 a,FES2014,GOT4.8,HAMTIDE12,OSU12 and TPXO8,were considered.The accuracy of eight major tidal constituents(i.e.,Q1,O1,P1,K1,N2,M2,S2 and K2)were assessed for the shallow water and coastal areas based on the tidal constants derived from multi-mission satellite altimetry(TOPEX and Jason series)and tide gauge observations.The root mean square values of each constituent between satellite-derived tidal constants and tide models were found in the range of 0.72–1.90 cm in the deep ocean(depth>200 m)and 1.18–5.63 cm in shallow water area(depth<200 m).Large inter-model discrepancies were noted in the Strait of Malacca and the Taiwan Strait,which could be attributable to the complicated hydrodynamic systems and the paucity of high-quality satellite altimetry data.In coastal regions,an accuracy performance was investigated using tidal results from 37 tide gauge stations.The root sum square values were in the range of 9.35–19.11 cm,with the FES2014 model exhibiting slightly superior performance.

Evaluation of vertical crustal movements and sea level changes around Greenland from GPS and tide gauge observations

To better monitor the vertical crustal movements and sea level changes around Greenland,multiple data sources were used in this paper,including global positioning system(GPS),tide gauge,satellite gravimetry,satellite altimetry,glacial isostatic adjustment(GIA).First,the observations of more than 50 GPS stations from the international GNSS service(IGS)and Greenland network(GNET)in 2007–2018 were processed and the common mode error(CME)was eliminated with using the principal component analysis(PCA).The results show that all GPS stations show an uplift trend and the stations in southern Greenland have a higher vertical speed.Second,by deducting the influence of GIA,the impact of current Gr IS mass changes on GPS stations was analysed,and the GIA-corrected vertical velocity of the GPS is in good agreement with the vertical velocity obtained by gravity recovery and climate experiment(GRACE).Third,the absolute sea level change around Greenland at 4 gauge stations was obtained by combining relative sea level derived from tide gauge observations and crustal uplift rates derived from GPS observations,and was validated by sea level products of satellite altimetry.The results show that although the mass loss of Gr IS can cause considerable global sea level rise,eustatic movements along the coasts of Greenland are quite complex under different mechanisms of sea level changes.

Validation of Sea Level Data in the East Asian Marginal Seas: Comparison between TOPEX/POSEIDON Altimeter and In-Situ Tide Gauges

In an effort to assess the reliability of satellite altimeter systems, the authors conduct a comparative analysis of sea level data that were collected from the TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) altimeter and 10 tide gauges (TG) near the satellite passing ground tracks. The analysis is made using datasets collected from marginal sea regions surrounding the Korean Peninsula at T/P cycles of 2 to 230, which correspond to October 1992 to December 1998. Proper treatment of tidal errors is a very critical step in data processing because the study area has very strong tide. When the T/P data are processed, the procedures of Park and Gamberoni (1995) are adapted to reduce errors associated with the tide. When the T/P data are processed in this way, the alias periods of M2, S2, and K1 constituents are found to be 62.1, 58.7, and 173 days repectively. The compatibility of the T/P and TG datasets are examined at various filtering periods. The results indicate that the low-frequency signals of the T/P data can be interpreted more safely with longer filtering periods (such as up to the maximum selected value of 200 days). When RMS errors for the 200-day low-pass filter period are compared with all 10 tidal stations, the values span the range of 2.8 to 6.7 cm. The results of a correlation analysis for this filtering period also show a strong agreement between the T/P and TG datasets across all stations investigated (e.g.,p- values consistently less than 0.001). Hence according to the analysis, the conclusion is made that the analysis of surface sea level using satellite altimeter data can be made safely with reasonably extended filtering periods such as 200 days.

The Time Series Spectral Analysis of Satellite Altimetry and Coastal Tide Gauges and Tide Modeling in the Coast of Caspian Sea

This study endeavors to deal with the least square spectral analysis on the time series, to find present significant frequencies, to analyze 40 tide components using harmonic methods and to show relationship between discovered frequencies and 40 components of tide. For the purpose of collecting data of altimetry satellites of Topex/Poseidon (T/P), Jason 1, Jason 2 and coastal tide gauges of Bandar Anzali, Noshahr, and Nekah were utilized. In this time series formed by cross over points of altimetry satellite and then using least square spectral analysis on time series derived from altimetry satellite and coastal tide gauges the significant components were found and annual, biannual, and monthly components were discovered. Then, analysis of 40 tide components was conducted using harmonic method to find the amplitude and phase. It represented that solar annual (Sa) plays the most significant role on Caspian Sea corresponded to the least square spectral analysis of the time series. The results shows that the annual (Sa) and semi-annual Solar (Ssa) constituents on all of the ports listed have the highest amplitude in comparison with the other constituents which are respectively 16 cm, 18 cm and 15 cm for annual constituent and 2.8 cm, 5.4 cm and 3.7 cm for semi-annual constituent.

Observation on Height Changes of Chinese Tide Gauges by GPS

The height changes of tide gauges directly influence sea level observation. For research of sea level variation in large region or globe, the land vertical displacement must be considered. Two sessions of GPS and absolute gravity observations in 2001 and 2003 are used to determine the horizontal and vertical motion of China coast in ITRF2000 and Eurasia frame. The difference between results of continuous observation and periodic observation is discussed.

Absolute sea level variability of Arctic Ocean in 1993–2018 from satellite altimetry and tide gauge observations

Arctic absolute sea level variations were analyzed based on multi-mission satellite altimetry data and tide gauge observations for the period of 1993–2018.The range of linear absolute sea level trends were found-2.00 mm/a to 6.88 mm/a excluding the central Arctic,positive trend rates were predominantly located in shallow water and coastal areas,and negative rates were located in high-latitude areas and Baffin Bay.Satellite-derived results show that the average secular absolute sea level trend was(2.53±0.42)mm/a in the Arctic region.Large differences were presented between satellite-derived and tide gauge results,which are mainly due to low satellite data coverage,uncertainties in tidal height processing and vertical land movement(VLM).The VLM rates at 11 global navigation satellite system stations around the Arctic Ocean were analyzed,among which 6 stations were tide gauge colocated,the results indicate that the absolute sea level trends after VLM corrected were of the same magnitude as satellite altimetry results.Accurately calculating VLM is the primary uncertainty in interpreting tide gauge measurements such that differences between tide gauge and satellite altimetry data are attributable generally to VLM.

Determination of the Absolute Rate of Sea Level by Using GPS Reference Station and Tide Gauge Data

The absolute rate of mean sea level of Xiamen area is derived from the data of Xiamen tide gauge station and Xiamen GPS fiducial station of crustal movement observation network of China（CMONC）. The height variation is discussed deeply in this paper, h is shown that height has periodic variations. So the rate of vertical land movement can not be precisely obtained only from several GPS campaigns. It is pointed out that the vertical crustal movement of tide gauge station should be monitored by using long-term continuous GPS observations.

Vertical motions of tide gauge stations near the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea

A modified Gauss-Markov model with weighted constraints was constructed by combining satellite altimeter and tide gauge records. Vertical motion rates of nine tide gauge stations around the Bohal Sea and Yellow Sea are estimated. This is the first time systematic estimates have been derived in this region. Downward trends were seen at the six tide gauge stations located at Tanggu, Longkou, Laohutan, Bayuquan, Xiaochangshan, and Yantai; with vertical motion rates of-1.82±0.50, -1.65±0.46, -0.88±0.42, -0.58±0.62, -0.13±0.43, and -0.01±0.43 mm/yr, respectively. Upward trends were seen at the three tide gauge stations located at Qinhuangdao, Huludao and Chengshantou; with vertical motion rates of 1.12±0.46, 0.55±0.49 and 0.26±0.44 mm/yr, respectively. There was significant subsidence in Tanggu and Longkou, and a rising trend in Qinhuangdao. According to our results, the rate of sea level rise calculated from these tide gauge records can be improved using a more accurate measurement of the land elevation accounting for lifting or subsidence. The model derived can be used to estimate vertical motions of tide gauge stations, and can be widely applied to revise the benchmark levels of tide gauges.

Feasibility of maintaining satellite altimetry calibration site based on qianliyan islet at the Yellow Sea

The calibration of the sea surface height(SSH)measured by satellite altimeters is essential to understand altimeter biases.Many factors affects the construction and maintenance of a permanent calibration site.In order to calibrate Chinese satellite altimetry missions,the feasibility of maintaining a calibration site based on the Qianliyan islet in Yellow Sea of China is taken into account.The related calibration facilities,such as the permanent tide gauge,GNSS reference station and meteorological station,were already operated by the Ministry of Natural Resources of China.The data could be fully used for satellite altimeter calibration with small fiscal expenditure.In addition,the location and marine environments of Qianliyan were discussed.Finally,we used the Jason-3 mission to check the possibility of calibration works.The result indicates that the brightness temperatures of three channels measured by microwave radiometer(MWR)and the derived wet tropospheric correction varies smoothly,which means the land contamination to MWR could be ignored.The high frequency waveforms at the Qianliyan site present no obvious difference from the normal waveforms received by satellite radar altimeter over the open ocean.In conclusion,the Qianliyan islet will not influence satellite altimetry observation.Following these analyses,a possible layout and mechanism of the Qianliyan calibration site are proposed.

Sea level rise along China coast in the last 60 years

Based on long-term tide gauge observations in the last 60 years,the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of sea level change along the coast of China are analyzed.The results indicate that the sea level along the coast of China has been rising at an increasing rate,with an estimated acceleration of 0.07 mm/a2.The rise rates were 2.4 mm/a,3.4 mm/a and 3.9 mm/a during 1960–2020,1980–2020 and 1993–2020,respectively.In the last 40 years,the coastal sea level has risen fastest in the South China Sea and slowest in the Yellow Sea.Seasonal sea levels all show an upward trend but rise faster in winter and spring and slower in autumn.Sea level change along the coast of China has significant periodic oscillations of quasi-2 a,4 a,7 a,11 a,quasi-19 a and 30–50 a,among which the 2–3 a,11 a,and 30–50 a signals are most remarkable,and the amplitude is approximately 1–2 cm.The coastal sea level in the most recent decade reached its highest value in the last 60 years.The decadal sea level from 2010 to 2019 was approximately 133 mm higher than the average of 1960–1969.Empirical orthogonal function analysis indicates that China’s coastal sea level has been changing in a north-south anti-phase pattern,with Pingtan and Fujian as the demarcation areas.This difference was especially obvious during 1980–1983,1995–1997 and 2011–2013.The coastal sea level was the highest in 2016,and this extreme sea level event was analyzed to be related mainly to the anomalous wind field and ENSO.

Measurement of the sea surface using a GPS towing-body in Wanshan area

Wanshan area has been chosen to be the specified field to calibrate and validate(Cal/Val)the HY-2 altimeter and its follow-on satellites.In March 2018,an experiment has been conducted to determine the sea surface height(SSH)under the HY-2 A ground track(Pass No.203).A GPS towing-body(GPS-TB)was designed to measure the SSH covering an area of about 6 km×28 km wide centered on the HY-2 A altimeter satellite ground track.Three GPS reference stations,one tide gauge and a GPS buoy were placed in the research area,in order to process and resolve the kinematic solution and check the precision of the GPS-TB respectively.All the GPS data were calculated by the GAMIT/GLOBK software and TRACK module.The sea surface was determined by the GPS-TB solution and the tide gauge placed on Zhiwan Island.Then the sea surface of this area was interpolated by Arc GIS10.2 with ordinary Kriging method.The results showed that the precision of the GPS-TB is about 1.10 cm compared with the tide gauge placed nearby,which has an equivalent precision with the GPS buoy.The interpolated sea surface has a bias of–1.5–4.0 cm with standard deviation of 0.2–2.4 cm compared with the checking line.The gradient of the measured sea surface is about 1.62 cm/km along the HY-2 orbit which shows a good agreement compared with the CLS11 mean sea surface(MSS).In the Cal/Val of satellites,the sea surface between the tide gauge/GPS buoy and the footprint of altimeter can be improved by this work.

Preliminary calibration results for Jason-3 and Sentinel-3 altimeters in the Wanshan Islands

We present preliminary calibration results for Jason-3 and Sentinel-3A altimeters that we set up in the Wanshan Islands in Guandong Province,China.Two campaigns were carried out in 2018,from March 8 to April 16 and from November 3 to December 11,2018.Three GPS reference stations and tide gauges were established on the islands of Zhiwan,Dangan,and Wailingding during the campaigns.The in-situ sea surface height(SSH)of the altimeter footprint was determined using the tide gauge.The tidal and geoid connection between the tide gauge locations and the altimeter footprints were computed with the NAO.99Jb tidal prediction system and the EGM 2008 geoid,respectively.The data of the tide gauges were defi ned using the GPS buoy and GPS reference stations during the campaigns.The results show that the waveform of the altimeters was slightly contaminated by the small islands.The bias associated with Jason-3 and Sentinel-3A amounted to approximately+20.7±49.7 mm and+30.1±39.4 mm,respectively,which agreed well with the results from other in-situ calibration fi elds.This indicates that the Wanshan area was very suitable as an in-situ calibration/validation fi eld.The wet zenith delay(WZD)determined from the Microwave Radiometer(MWR)and the GPS measurements diff ered from each other for the Jason-3 and Sentinel-3A by−6.6±7.4 mm and 0±6.8 mm,respectively.

Sea level rise along China coast from 1950 to 2020

Global mean sea level rise has been reconstructed using tide gauges. However, long-term sea level rise along the China coast is unclear. To address this issue, a data assimilation approach is developed to reconstruct sea level rise along the China coast from 1950 to 2020 using a global distribution of tide gauges(TGs). This approach combines climate models and sea level fingerprints. The climate models provide stereodynamic sea level changes. The sea level fingerprints include increases in ocean mass due to global ice melting and changes in water storage on land. The reconstructed global mean sea level rise agrees well with previous studies. We quantify sea level rise at 20 TGs along the China coast. The results suggest that sea level rise along the China coast(1.95±0.33 mm yr^(-1)) is greater than the global mean(1.71±0.17 mm yr^(-1)). We also find that China's coastal sea level rise is more than three times faster after 1980, increasing from 0.84±0.28 mm yr^(-1)for 1950–1980 to3.12±0.21 mm yr^(-1)for 1980–2020. This finding implies a significant sea level acceleration along the China coast. Our results advance the understanding of long-term sea level changes along the China coast.

Future sea level rise along the coast of China and adjacent region under 1.5℃ and 2.0℃ global warming

Although future sea level rise along the China coast has been projected by various studies for different representative concentration pathways(RCPs),the projections for different warming thresholds,e.g.1.5℃ and 2.0℃,have not been done specifically for this region,to the best of our knowledge.We provide such a projection here based on the climate projections of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5).The projections are given for 20 tide-gauge stations along the coast of China,Korea,Japan,and Vietnam.Vertical land motion(VLM)is also estimated for stations that have tide gauge records and satellite altimetry both covering the period of 1993-2018.Local land motion(LLM)is then estimated by subtracting the land motion due to glacial isostatic adjustment(GIA)from VLM.Without considering LLM,sea level rise by 2100 at median probability is projected to be 38-49 cm relative to the average sea level over 1986-2005 under warming of 1.5℃,and increase to 46-57 cm when the warming threshold is increased to 2.0℃.The steric component is the main contributor to this increase in sea level.Inclusion of LLM will not affect the sea level increase between the two warming thresholds,but it will make the local sea level rise by 2100 at certain locations substantially higher(up to 36 cm)or lower(up to 13 cm).

Coastal life is not under threat by the carbon dioxide emissions

The near future of coastal life is threated by the claim of global warming alarmist that sea levels will rise by one to seven metres by 2100,destroying many coastal cities and habitats.This paper shows that sea levels will more likely rise no more than just a few centimetres during this century as the Earth defrosts from the Little Ice Age 500 years ago with a mild warming.