Synoptic Scale Wind Field Properties From The SEASAT SASS

Dealiased SEASAT SASS vector winds obtained during the GOASEX program have been processed to obtain super-observations centered on a one degree by one degree grid. The results provide values for the combined effects of mesoscale variability and communication noise on the individual SASS winds. Each grid point of the synoptic field provides the mean synoptic east-west and north-south wind components plus estimates of the standard deviations of these means. These super observation winds are then processed further to obtain synoptic scale vector wind stress fields, the horizontal divergence of the wind and the curl of the wind stress, each with appropriate standard deviations for each grid point value. The resulting fields appear to be consistent over large distances and to agree with, for example, geostationary cloud images obtained concurrently. Their quality is far superior to that of analyses based on conventional data.