Results of assimilation of multi‐mission‐altimeter data and the GRACE/GOCE gravity data into the finite element ocean model are investigated. By assimilating only absolute dynamical topography data using the ensemble Kalman filter, we were able to improve modeled fields. Results are closer to observations which were not used for assimilation and lie outside the area covered by altimetry in the Southern Ocean (e.g. temperature of surface drifters or deep temperatures in the Weddell Sea area.) Further, since data assimilation produces ocean fields consistent with absolute DOT, this allows us to use the criteria of Orsi et al 1995 to find mean location of the fronts. The ocean model representation of the locations of fronts is improved by assimilating dynamical ocean topography (DOT) data.