Global Wave Height Trends and Variability from New Multimission Satellite Altimeter Products, Reanalyses, and Wave Buoys

Long‐term changes in ocean surface waves are relevant to society and climate research. Significant wave height climatologies and trends over 1992–2017 are intercompared in four recent high‐quality global datasets using a consistent methodology. For two products based on satellite altimetry, includin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2020-05, Vol.47 (9), p.n/a
Main Authors: Timmermans, B. W., Gommenginger, C. P., Dodet, G., Bidlot, J.‐R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Altimeters
Altimetry
Buoy data
Buoy measurements
Buoys
Calibration
Climate change
Climatology
Computer simulation
Dataset intercomparison
Datasets
Equatorial regions
High seas
Mathematical models
Measuring instruments
Methods
Ocean surface
Ocean wave heights
Ocean waves
Oceans
Products
Quality control
Questions
Satellite altimetry
Satellite data
Satellite observation
Satellite wave observations
Satellites
Sea state
Sea states
Significant wave height
Spatial variations
Surface water waves
Surface waves
Trends
Uncertainty
Wave buoys
Wave height
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Summary:Long‐term changes in ocean surface waves are relevant to society and climate research. Significant wave height climatologies and trends over 1992–2017 are intercompared in four recent high‐quality global datasets using a consistent methodology. For two products based on satellite altimetry, including one from the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative for Sea State, regional differences in mean climatology are linked to low and high sea states. Trends from the altimetry products, and two reanalysis and hindcast datasets, show general similarity in spatial variation and magnitude but with major differences in equatorial regions and the Indian Ocean. Discrepancies between altimetry products likely arise from differences in calibration and quality control. However, multidecadal observations at two buoy stations also highlight issues with wave buoy data, raising questions about their unqualified use, and more fundamentally about uncertainty in all products. Plain Language Summary Changes to ocean waves over decades and longer are of considerable importance to the climate, the society, and the marine economy. Accurate observations of waves spanning many decades are required to understand long‐term changes, but the challenges and cost of measuring waves worldwide with devices like buoys means that alternatives like Earth‐orbiting satellites become attractive. We compare two recently published global wave products derived from the same satellite observations, with two high‐quality products from computer simulations and buoy measurements. Using a consistent methodology, we find important differences between the satellite products, and the simulations, in the reported average global wave conditions, and their evolution in time. The disagreement between the satellite products points to complex differences in the way satellite data are corrected, which raises questions about uncertainty in these products, and more generally, about what is our most reliable long‐term observational record of sea state. Key Points New multi‐mission altimeter products show regional differences in wave height climatologies and trends Global Hs trends from latest altimeter wave product appear more positive, though with spatially similar variation Uncertainty in means and trends could originate from altimeter wave height calibration and processing choices
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1029/2019GL086880