Studying the sensitivity of satellite altimetry, tide gauge and GNSS observations to changes in vertical displacements

Abstract

Tide gauge observations provide sea level relative to the Earth's crust, while satellite altimetry measures sea level variations relative to the centre of the Earth's mass. Local vertical land motion can be a significant contribution to the measured sea level change. Satellite altimetry was traditionally used to study the open ocean, but this technology is now being used over inland seas too. The difference of both observations can be used to estimate vertical crustal movement velocities along the sea coast. In this paper, vertical crustal movement velocities were investigated at tide gauge sites along the Adriatic Sea coast by analyzing differences between Tide Gauge (TG) and Satellite Altimetry (SA) observations. Furthermore, the estimated vertical motion rates were compared with those from nearby GNSS measurements. The study determines the practical relationships between these vertical crustal movements and those determined from unrelated data acquired from the neighbouring GNSS stations. The results show general consistence with the present geodynamics in the Adriatic Sea coastal zone.