The Sea surface KInematics Multiscale (SKIM) monitoring mission is a proposal for a future satellite that is designed to measure ocean currents and waves. Using a Doppler radar, the accurate measurement of currents requires the removal of the mean velocity due to ocean wave motions. This paper describes the main processing steps needed to produce currents and wave data from the radar measurements. With this technique, SKIM can provide unprecedented coverage and resolution, over the global ocean.

We examined zooplankton community structure along the Japanese coast of the Japan Sea. Zooplankton were collected during 15 cruises in May from 1999 to 2013 by a plankton net. Species were identified under a microscope and were counted. The zooplankton community changed with water temperature and the coastal current, and the submarine canyon structure in this sea makes a difference in the zooplankton community.

We developed a three-dimensional lower-trophic-level marine ecosystem model (NSI-MEM) and employed biological data assimilation using a micro-genetic algorithm to estimate physiological parameters for two phytoplankton functional types in the western North Pacific. The NSI-MEM optimized by the data assimilation improved the timing of a modelled plankton bloom in the subarctic and subtropical regions compared to the model without data assimilation.

To assist in establishing the most likely location of the crash site of MH370, a Boeing 777 aircraft that went missing on March 7, 2014, a drift study was conducted by means of numerical modelling. Three elements were considered: (a) the efficacy of the aerial search; (b) water temperatures along the path of the flaperon; (c) beached debris distribution. The results obtained indicate the crash site is likely located between 25.5° S and 30.5° S along the so-called seventh arc in the Indian Ocean.

The Alboran Sea is a dynamically active region. The interaction between Mediterranean and Atlantic water originates a set of sub-mesoscale structures and a complex sequence of processes that entail mixing close to the thermocline. Here we present a high-resolution map of the diapycnal diffusivity around the thermocline depth obtained using acoustic data recorded with a high-resolution multichannel seismic system. The map revels a patchy thermocline, with areas of strong diapycnal mixing.

An analysis of observed transports in the Brazil Current shows a factor 9 increase between its origin and terminus. The 23-year time series reveals an annual cycle with a maximum in austral summer whose significance decreases on the way south and varies interannually. In addition, 2–4-year long phases with relatively high/low values are observed. A correlation of the transport with the Southern Annular Mode (Niño 3.4 index), with a lag of 6 (8) months, is present at 24° S.

Suaeda heteroptera is a dominant species in the wetlands of the Liao River estuary and a typical saline–alkaline indicator plant, which is distributed on coastal tidal flats, forming a rare natural pink beach landscape. The MIKE 21 model is used to simulate the hydrodynamic characteristics and salinity transport processes in this region. The results of this study are important for furthering the understanding of suitable circumstances for vegetation growth in the Pink Beach wetlands.

Waves obtain energy from wind; they grow and increase in size and speed of propagation. The structure of wave fields becomes complicated due to appearance of new wave components. Finally, the sea surface looks like a poorly organized motion consisting of quickly running large hills and hollows covered with smaller waves. This process can be successfully simulated on computers. Such investigations allow us to understand the physics of sea waves, which is important for practice.

TEOS-10 is the present international standard for thermodynamic properties of water, ice, seawater and humid air recommended for geosciences by leading international organisations such as UNESCO/IOC and IUGG. TEOS-10 incorporates an extended manifold of different experimental data for those substances, collected from publications over many decades, in an unprecedentedly compact, consistent, comprehensive and accurate way.

The ocean surface mixed layer depth (MLD) is an important parameter within several research disciplines, as variations in the MLD influence air–sea CO₂ exchange and ocean primary production. A new method is presented in which acoustic mapping of the MLD is done remotely by means of echo sounders. This method allows for observations of high-frequency variability in the MLD, as horizontal and temporal resolutions can be increased by orders of magnitude compared to traditional in situ measurements.

The study finds that changes in seawater temperature due to El Niño and La Niña, anomalous warm and cold events, are in principle detectable by means of the oceanic tidally induced magnetic field. Furthermore, subsurface processes in the onset of those anomalous events lead the surface processes by several months. This causes a lead in the oceanic tidally induced magnetic field signals over sea-surface temperature signals.

We assess the impact of assimilating the SST data on the Baltic forecast potential. By assimilating SST, we find the quality of SST forecast is significantly enhanced. The temperature in water above 100 m and salinity in the deep layers have been also largely and slightly improved, respectively. In comparison with independent data, the SLA is better predicted because of assimilating SST. Besides, the forecast of sea-ice concentration is improved considerably during the sea-ice formation period.