| Ocean currents can strongly impact the propagation of swell systems. Satellite altimetry routinely provides measurements of ocean surface significant wave heights (Hs). A self‐consistent space‐scale decomposition is applied to Hs measurements obtained from different altimeters. This method helps reveal overlooked statistical properties at scales less than 100 km, where meso‐ and sub‐mesoscale upper ocean circulation drives a significant part of the variability in the coupled ocean‐atmosphere system. In particular, systematic signatures related to wave‐current interactions are clear at global and regional scales. In the Agulhas current system, the proposed space‐scale decomposition further reveals organized and persistent patterns. To leading order, the... |
