Category: News of the Jason-2 mission

Jason-2 measured some quite impressive sea level anomalies South of Africa -more than 2 m between high and low. If such heights, corresponding to eddies in a very turbulent region are not absolutely extraordinary, they are still interesting to look at -- and to compare with other satellites.

The Algulhas retroflection is a turn of the current South of Africa, where the current make a sharp about turn. Jason-2 observed some quite high Sea level anomalies in the region, which were also seen by GFO, among others (Jason-1 was in Safehold mode at that time).
See the <link fileadmin images news mod_actus fortesla-3.gif download>maps for Jason-2, GFO and Envisat, and the <link fileadmin images news mod_actus fortesla-2.gif download>along-track plots (Jason-2 and GFO)

Map of sea level anomalies merging all the available altimetry satellites (Envisat, part of Jason-1, GFO), minus Jason-2 still ongoing calibration, on August 7, 2008. The strong eddies are clearly visible. (Credits CLS/Cnes)