Satellite Altimetry Signal Processing for Eddy Kinetic Energy Estimation in the Indonesian Seas: Toward Intelligent Ocean Monitoring

Abstract

Indonesia hosts one of the most dynamically complex marine systems due to the interaction of the Indonesian Throughflow, monsoonal circulation, and complex bathymetry. These processes generate strong mesoscale variability that can be quantified using Eddy Kinetic Energy (EKE). This study proposes a satellite-altimetry-based framework for estimating EKE across the Indonesian Seas using Jason-3 observations integrated with Sea Level Anomaly (SLA) products from the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS). Geostrophic velocity anomalies were derived from SLA gradients and subsequently used to calculate EKE. Several preprocessing steps, including geophysical corrections, noise filtering, and anomaly normalization, were applied to improve data quality. An intelligent monitoring framework was developed to support automated data ingestion, EKE computation, and anomaly detection. Results indicate pronounced spatial variability of EKE, with elevated values observed in the Makassar Strait, Banda Sea, and southern Java waters. Seasonal analysis reveals stronger EKE during the southeast monsoon, while interannual variability demonstrates links with ENSO and the Indian Ocean Dipole. The proposed framework highlights the potential of integrating satellite altimetry and intelligent monitoring systems for operational ocean observation, environmental assessment, and coastal resilience applications.