Abstract:

This dataset consists of adjoint (gradient) sensitivities of sea surface height at several locations in the Gulf of Mexico, to surface momentum, heat, and freshwater fluxes in the global oceans. The sensitivities indicate the linearly-approximated dependence of sea surface height on a flux at a particular model grid cell (location) and lead time. These sensitivities were computed using the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) version 4 state estimate, run in adjoint mode to determine sensitivities to monthly sea level at lead times up to 12 months. The sensitivities were computed for sea level for each month in 2004 (Jan, Feb, Mar, etc.), to represent seasonal changes in sea level causality.