Comparison of surface velocities determined from altimeter and drifting buoy data

Surface velocities determined from trajectory of a drifting buoy from March through November 1987 are compared with surface geostrophic velocities determined from sea surface dynamic topography (SSDT) obtained from altimetry data with the aid of long-term hydrographic observation data. In general, these velocities show similar temporal variations in both zonal and meridional components, except in a period when obvious error is found in the altimetric SSDT field. When the buoy was trapped by several mid-ocean meso-scale eddies, the comparison is especially good. Systematic discrepancy is found, however, when the buoy was in the Kuroshio region, because of using both temporally and spatially smoothed mean SSDT estimated from hydrographic data; instead, surface geostrophic velocities determined from the altimetric SSDT referred to the improved geoid model result in better comparison.