The use of near real-time in-situ sea level to improve global data bases

The University of Hawaii Sea Level Center has been collecting, processing and distributing in-situ sea level data for over 20 years. Major data contributions include the NORPAX set, the TOGA sea level data set, and more recently the WOCE "fast delivery" data set, which is a near real-time data product used primarily for calibration of satellite altimetry. The procedures used to produce the WOCE data are reviewed, and advantages of using near real-time in-situ sea level data to improve global data bases are detailed and discussed, with conclusions drawn concerning the configuration of future global sea level monitoring systems.