Comparison of buoy and altimeter-derived shelf currents using an optimal operator

We compare in situ current measurements with remotely sensed surface currents from satellite altimetry calculated using a novel operator to estimate geostrophic currents with minimum noise. Buoys from the Texas Automated Buoy System measured currents in the shallow waters of the Louisiana/Texas shelf. The optimally derived currents from TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1 are shown to be highly correlated even in this shallow water environment.