Overview of ERS-1 scientific results obtained from ocean and sea ice observations

The spatial and temporal scales that characterise processes at the ocean-atmosphere boundary layer range from seconds to tens of days and from meters to hundreds of kilometres. Still longer time and space scales govern the dynamics of global ocean circulation. To provide satisfactory observations of dominating processes and parameters (in time and space) using in-situ methods is consequently both difficult and expensive, and for many parts of the world ocean real "data deserts" exist. Thanks to ERS-1 (and other polar orbiting satellites) we can now rely on a very valuable satellite data source for global, regional and local ocean and sea ice research, as well as for operational and commercial applications. The authors provide an overview of the major scientific results obtained with ERS-1.