AUTHOR=d’Ovidio Francesco , Pascual Ananda , Wang Jinbo , Doglioli Andrea M. , Jing Zhao , Moreau Sebastien , Grégori Gérald , Swart Sebastiaan , Speich Sabrina , Cyr Frédéric , Legresy Benoit , Chao Yi , Fu Lee , Morrow Rosemary Anne TITLE=Frontiers in Fine-Scale in situ Studies: Opportunities During the SWOT Fast Sampling Phase JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science VOLUME=6 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00168 DOI=10.3389/fmars.2019.00168 ISSN=2296-7745 ABSTRACT=

Conceived as a major new tool for climate studies, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will launch in late 2021 and will retrieve the dynamics of the oceans upper layer at an unprecedented resolution of a few kilometers. During the calibration and validation (CalVal) phase in 2022, the satellite will be in a 1-day-repeat fast sampling orbit with enhanced temporal resolution, sacrificing the spatial coverage. This is an ideal opportunity – unique for many years to come – to coordinate in situ experiments during the same period for a focused study of fine scale dynamics and their broader roles in the Earth system. Key questions to be addressed include the role of fine scales on the ocean energy budget, the connection between their surface and internal dynamics, their impact on plankton diversity, and their biophysical dynamics at the ice margin.