Products SLA vs ADT
Lively Data : June 15, 2004
Since mid-February, two different sea surface height products are available in the LAS. One, the Sea Level Anomalies (SLA) represent the variable part of sea surface height. The other, Absolute Dynamic Topography, (ADT) is the sum of this variable part and of the constant part due to the stationary component of ocean circulation. These two types of data, although related, give different information on ocean dynamics, especially in the major currents.
With the LAS, you can compare ("compare two" tab) view of major currents like the Gulf Stream (up) or its counterpart in the Pacific, the Kuroshio (bottom) by Sea level anomalies (you can then see the turbulency in the current, with numerous eddies), and by Absolute Dynamic Topography (General ocean dynamics is then dominant, although eddies are still visible in the front area, i.e. in the area where the slope of this topography is strong).
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