Comparison of Sea Surface Heights Derived from Satellite Altimetry and from Ocean Bottom Pressure Gauges: The SW Pacific MOTEVAS Project

A bottom pressure gauge (BPG) was installed in proximity (3.7 km at closest approach) of Jason-1 and formerly TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) ground track No. 238 at the Wusi site, located ∼ 10 km offshore off the west coast of Santo Island, Vanuatu, Southwest (SW) Pacific. Sea level variations are inferred from the bottom pressure, seawater temperature, and salinity, corrected for the measured surface atmospheric pressure. The expansion of the water column (steric increase in sea surface height, SSH) due to temperature and salinity changes is approximated by the equation of state. We compare time series of SSH derived from T/P Side B altimeter Geophysical Data Records (GDR) and Jason-1 Interim Geophysical Data Records (IGDR), with the gauge-inferred sea level variations. Since altimeter SSH is a geocentric measurement, whereas the gauge-inferred observation is a relative sea level measurement, SSH comparison is conducted with the means of both series removed in this study. In addition, high-rate (1-Hz) bottom pressure implied wave heights (H_1/3) are compared with the significant wave height (SWH) measured by Jason-1. Noticeable discrepancy is found in this comparison for high waves, however the differences do not contribute significantly to the difference in sea level variations observed between the altimeter and the pressure gauge. In situ atmospheric pressure measurements are also used to verify the inverse barometer (IB) and the dry troposphere corrections (DTC) used in the Jason IGDR. We observe a bias between the IGDR corrections and those derived from the local sensors. Standard deviations of the sea level differences between T/P and BPG is 52 mm and is 48 mm between Jason and BPG, indicating that both altimeters have similar performance at the Wusi site and that it is feasible to conduct long-term monitoring of altimetry at such a site.     

Assessment of reprocessed sea surface height measurements derived from HY-2A radar altimeter and its application to the observation of 2015–2016 El Ni?o

Haiyang-2A(HY-2A) is China's first ocean dynamic environment satellite and the radar altimeter is one of its main payloads. One of the main purposes of the radar altimeter is to measure the sea surface height(SSH). The SSH determined from the altimeter range measurements includes some range and geophysical corrections. These corrections largely affect the accuracy of the SSH measurements. The range and the geophysical corrections are reprocessed and the altimeter waveforms in HY-2A sensor interim geophysical data set records(S-IGDR) are retracked from June 1, 2014 to June 14, 2014, and the accuracy of the reprocessed SSH measurements is evaluated.The methods of the range and geophysical corrections used to reprocess HY-2A altimeter data are validated by using these methods to reprocess the Jason-2 range and geophysical corrections and comparing the results with the range and geophysical corrections in Jason-2 geophysical dataset records(GDR) product. A crossover analysis is used to evaluate the accuracy of the reprocessed HY-2A SSH measurements. The standard deviation(STD) of the crossover SSH differences for HY-2A is around 4.53 cm while the STD of the SSH differences between HY-2A and Jason-2 is around 5.22 cm. The performance of the reprocessed HY-2A SSH measurements is significantly improved with respect to the SSH measurements derived from HY-2A interim geophysical dataset records(IGDR)product. The 2015–2016 El Ni?o has been the strongest El Ni?o event since 1997–1998. The range and the geophysical corrections in HY-2A IGDR are reprocessed and sea level anomalies are used to monitor the2015–2016 El Ni?o. The results show that the HY-2A altimeter can well observe the 2015–2016 El Ni?o.     

HY-2A卫星雷达高度计数据的全球统计评价及质量分析

自HY-2A卫星发射以来,针对HY-2A卫星雷达高度计产品的交叉定标、真实性检验及质量评估工作一直在持续开展。本文主要以HY-2A卫星高度计第44周期的IGDR产品数据为例,通过使用全球分布图、二维直方图和每日均值统计的方法完成了与Jason-2IGDR产品的比对验证,同时对主要环境校正参数及地球物理产品的数据质量稳定性进行了分析,结果显示高度计产品数据质量较稳定,此外利用HY-2A卫星升降轨交叉点海面高度差、与Jason-2卫星交叉点海面高度差以及沿轨海平面异常数据分析的方法进行了HY-2A卫星高度计观测系统的性能评估,结果显示,HY-2A卫星海面高度精度约为7.48cm,精度接近Jason-2,能满足海洋应用与科学研究的需要。     

Ku– and Ka-band Altimeter Data in the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea: Impact on the Observation of the Coastal Ocean Variability

The strong increase in altimeter measurement errors near land surfaces is a limiting factor for coastal applications. We analyze the performance of the new Ka-band SARAL/AltiKa (SRL) mission in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. SRL sea surface height (SSH) measurements are compared with those from the Jason-2 Ku-band satellite mission. The results show a significant increase in both quantity and quality of SSH data available near coastlines when using SRL data. Available edited data are 95.1% of SRL compared with 88.6% for Jason-2. Closer than 10 km to the coastline, available SRL data are still about 60% and only about 31% for Jason-2. Comparisons of the altimeter sea level variations are made with available coastal tide gauge data. The differences obtained between altimeter and tide gauge SLA time series are reduced for SRL (3.3 cm in average) compared with Jason-2 (4.2 cm in average), especially closer than 30 km to the land. It results in higher correlations (by 30%) obtained with SRL data. The coastal circulation derived from altimetry using SRL data shows an offshore meandering, which is more stable in time and with larger velocities close to the coast than that derived from Jason-2 observations.     

IGDR数据用于高度计定标先期计算的可行性

针对拟开展的Jason-3卫星高度计定标试验,分析了利用IGDR数据先期计算定标结果的可行性。介绍了基于GPS浮标的直接绝对定标方法,设计了IGDR数据用于定标计算的可行性评估方法,利用经过全球4大定标站海域的数据比较了IGDR、GDR数据计算定标结果的差异。结果表明:通过两种数据计算的定标结果之间没有明显的系统性偏差,其差异的不确定性约为1cm;相对于传统定标站GDR定标结果 3cm量级的标准差,该不确定性对于定标结果的一致性影响不大,在定标试验中可使用IGDR先期进行定标计算。     

HY-2A卫星海面高度数据质量评估

对HY-2A卫星雷达高度计数据进行筛选获取有效的观测点,利用HY-2A卫星第18~23周期数据和同时在轨的Jason-2数据进行交叉点选取,对两颗卫星在交叉点海面高度异常值的差值进行统计与分析,提出了基于交叉点差值统计特征的筛除HY-2A轨道数据方法,评估了HY-2A卫星雷达高度数据质量。结果显示,HY-2A卫星18~23周期阈值筛选去除的点个数占总海洋观测点约12%,HY-2A海面高度异常与Jason-2海面高度异常的标准偏差在7.0 cm,数据精度满足设计精度要求。     

Towards a Seamless Transition from TOPEX/Poseidon to Jason-1

The Jason-1 verification phase has proven to be a unique and successful calibration experiment to quantify the agreement with its predecessor TOPEX/Poseidon. Although both missions have met prescribed error budgets, comparison of the mean and time-varying sea surface height profiles from near simultaneous observations derived from the missions' Geophysical Data Records exhibit significant basin scale differences. Several suspected sources causing this disagreement are identified and improved upon, including (a) replacement of TOPEX and Jason project POE with enhanced orbits computed at GSFC within a consistent ITRF2000 terrestrial reference frame, (b) application of waveform retracking corrections to TOPEX significant wave height and sea surface heights, (c) resultant improved efficacy of the TOPEX sea state bias estimation from the value added sea surface height, and (d) estimation of Jason-1 sea state bias employing dual TOPEX/Jason crossover and collinear sea surface height residuals unique to the validation mission. The resultant mean sea surface height comparison shows improved agreement at better than 60 percent level of variance reduction with a standard deviation less then 0.5 cm.     

Towards a Seamless Transition from TOPEX/Poseidon to Jason-1

The Jason-1 verification phase has proven to be a unique and successful calibration experiment to quantify the agreement with its predecessor TOPEX/Poseidon. Although both missions have met prescribed error budgets, comparison of the mean and time-varying sea surface height profiles from near simultaneous observations derived from the missions' Geophysical Data Records exhibit significant basin scale differences. Several suspected sources causing this disagreement are identified and improved upon, including (a) replacement of TOPEX and Jason project POE with enhanced orbits computed at GSFC within a consistent ITRF2000 terrestrial reference frame, (b) application of waveform retracking corrections to TOPEX significant wave height and sea surface heights, (c) resultant improved efficacy of the TOPEX sea state bias estimation from the value added sea surface height, and (d) estimation of Jason-1 sea state bias employing dual TOPEX/Jason crossover and collinear sea surface height residuals unique to the validation mission. The resultant mean sea surface height comparison shows improved agreement at better than 60 percent level of variance reduction with a standard deviation less then 0.5 cm.     

Global Statistical Assessment and Cross-Calibration with Jason-2 for Reprocessed HY-2 A Altimeter Data

HY-2 A (Haiyang-2 A) satellite was launched on August 16, 2011 and radar altimeter is one of its main payloads. We reprocessed two years of HY-2 A altimeter sensor geophysical dataset records (SGDR) data. This paper presents the main results in terms of reprocessed HY-2 A altimeter data quality: verification of data availability and validity, monitoring several relevant altimeter parameters, and assessment of the HY-2 A altimeter system performances. A cross-calibration analysis of reprocessed HY-2 A altimeter data with Jason-2 was conducted. The reprocessed HY-2 A altimeter data show good quality and have a low level of noise with respect to Jason-2. The same geophysical correction methods were used to calculate the sea surface height (SSH) for the two missions. The mean standard deviations of the crossover differences for HY-2 A and Jason-2 are 5.24 cm and 5.34 cm, respectively. The mean standard deviation of the crossover differences between HY-2 A and Jason-2 is 5.37 cm. These show that HY-2 A can provide SSH measurements at almost the same level of accuracy as Jason-2. The relative SSH bias between HY-2 A and Jason-2 due to the Ultra Stable Oscillator (USO) drift is obviously observed, and it can affect the calculation of mean sea level and should be further studied and corrected.     

Statistical Evaluation of the Jason-1 Operational Sensor Data Record

The Jason-1 satellite altimeter mission represents a first step towards operational oceanography from satellite altimeter missions. An operational data product, the Operational Sensor Data Record (OSDR), provides measurements from the on-board altimeter and radiometer within 3-5 h of real time. This data product is a wind and wave product that is aimed towards near-real-time meteorological applications. A higher accuracy and more detailed data product, the Interim Geophysical Data Record (IGDR), that is better suited to detailed scientific studies of ocean topography, is available no sooner than 2-3 days from real time. The measurements reported on the OSDR primarily differ from those on the IGDR in that the OSDR reports measurements derived from on-board processing of the altimeter waveforms, while ground retracking of the waveforms is performed for the IGDR. The altimeter-derived measurements on the OSDR are validated through a statistical evaluation of the differences between data on the OSDR and IGDR. In doing so, the impact of ground retracking of the altimeter waveforms is also illustrated.     

Statistical Evaluation of the Jason-1 Operational Sensor Data Record Special Issue: Jason-1 Calibration/Validation

The Jason-1 satellite altimeter mission represents a first step towards operational oceanography from satellite altimeter missions. An operational data product, the Operational Sensor Data Record (OSDR), provides measurements from the on-board altimeter and radiometer within 3–5 h of real time. This data product is a wind and wave product that is aimed towards near-real–time meteorological applications. A higher accuracy and more detailed data product, the Interim Geophysical Data Record (IGDR), that is better suited to detailed scientific studies of ocean topography, is available no sooner than 2–3 days from real time. The measurements reported on the OSDR primarily differ from those on the IGDR in that the OSDR reports measurements derived from on-board processing of the altimeter waveforms, while ground retracking of the waveforms is performed for the IGDR. The altimeter-derived measurements on the OSDR are validated through a statistical evaluation of the differences between data on the OSDR and IGDR. In doing so, the impact of ground retracking of the altimeter waveforms is also illustrated.     

Evaluation of Seasonal Sea Level Variation at Syowa Station, Antarctica, Using GPS Observations

Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements of the vertical displacement of fast ice near Syowa Station, Antarctica, were conducted between April and December 1998 to evaluate measurements of sea level variation derived with a conventional bottom pressure gauge (BPG). The BPG-derived sea level revealed a seasonal variation of about 0.13 m, with a high in April–June and a low in November–December. The GPS-derived sea level, combined with observed sea ice thickness, supported the BPG result, with an RMS error of 0.007 m. Our result also demonstrates that GPS is a powerful technique for monitoring sea level variations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

HY-2卫星雷达高度计时标偏差估算

卫星雷达高度计是海洋遥感监测的重要传感器之一,测高系统和定轨系统是高度计重要的组成部分。若两系统使用不同的系统时钟,则获得的轨道高度和卫星测距值之间可能会存在一个时标偏差,该时标偏差会降低卫星雷达高度计的海面高度测量精度。针对HY-2卫星雷达高度计的时标偏差问题,本文分析了时标偏差对测高精度的影响,介绍了一种使用自交叉点数据估算时标偏差值的方法,并基于HY-2卫星雷达高度计第21个周期数据开展了时标偏差修正实验。时标偏差修正后HY-2自交叉点的海面高度差值(也称"不符值")分布收敛程度有了明显的提高,其RMS均方根值从24.7 cm减小到了7.0 cm,HY-2与Jason-2互交叉点的不符值的RMS也从16.6 cm减小到了7.3 cm。这表明本文介绍的时标偏差修正方法可有效地提高HY-2卫星雷达高度计的测高精度。     

Jason-1 Geophysical Performance Evaluation

The Jason-1 satellite was launched on 7 December 2001 with the primary objective of continuing the high accuracy time series of altimeter measurements that began with the TOPEX/Poseidon mission in 1992. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to validate the performance of the Jason-1 measurement system, and to verify that its error budget is at least at the same level as that of the TOPEX/Poseidon mission. The article reviews the main components of the Jason-1 altimetric error budget from instrument characterization to the geophysical use of the data. Using the Interim Geophysical Data Records (16DR) that were distributed to the Jason-1 Science Working Team during the verification phase of the mission, it is shown that the Jason-1 mission is performing well enough to continue studies of the large-scale features of the ocean, and especially to continue time series of mean sea-level variations with an accuracy comparable to TOPEX/Poseidon.     

Guest editorial

The Jason-1 satellite was launched on 7 December 2001 with the primary objective of continuing the high accuracy time series of altimeter measurements that began with the TOPEX/Poseidon mission in 1992. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to validate the performance of the Jason-1 measurement system, and to verify that its error budget is at least at the same level as that of the TOPEX/Poseidon mission. The article reviews the main components of the Jason-1 altimetric error budget from instrument characterization to the geophysical use of the data. Using the Interim Geophysical Data Records (16DR) that were distributed to the Jason-1 Science Working Team during the verification phase of the mission, it is shown that the Jason-1 mission is performing well enough to continue studies of the large-scale features of the ocean, and especially to continue time series of mean sea-level variations with an accuracy comparable to TOPEX/Poseidon.     

Comparisons of sea surface height variability observed by pressure-recording inverted echo sounders and satellite altimetry in the Kuroshio Extension

Satellite-measured along-track and gridded sea surface height (SSH) anomaly products from AVISO are compared with in situ SSH anomaly measurements from an array of 43 pressure-recording inverted echo sounders (PIESs) in the Kuroshio Extension. PIESs measure bottom pressure (P _bot) and round-trip acoustic travel time from the sea floor to the sea surface (τ). The P _bot and τ measurements are used to estimate, respectively, the mass-loading and steric height variations in SSH anomaly. All comparisons are made after accurate removal of tidal components from all data. Overall good correlations are found between along-track and PIES-derived SSH anomalies with mean correlation coefficient of 0.97. Comparisons between the two measurements reveal that the mass-loading component estimated from P _bot is relatively small in this geographical region. It improves regression coefficients about 5?% and decreases mean root-mean-squared (rms) differences from 7.8 to 6.4?cm. The AVISO up-to-date gridded product, which merges all available satellite measurements of Jason-1, Envisat, Geosat Follow-On, and TOPEX/Poseidon interlaced, shows better correlations and smaller rms differences than the AVISO reference gridded product, which merges only Jason-1 and Envisat. Especially, the up-to-date gridded product reveals 6.8?cm rms improvement on average at sites away from Jason-1 ground tracks. Gridded products exhibit low correlation (0.75–0.9) with PIES-derived SSH in a subregion where the SSH fluctuations have relatively high energy at periods shorter than 20?days.     

基于GNSS浮标和验潮资料的HY-2A卫星高度计绝对定标

为探测我国HY-2A卫星高度计海面高测量绝对偏差及其在轨运行状态,本文利用GNSS浮标星下点同步测量和验潮资料海面高传递方法在山东千里岩和珠海担杆岛海域开展定标研究。为验证GNSS浮标定标方法的准确性,还对国外卫星Jason-2和Saral进行了定标实验。实验表明GNSS浮标绝对海面高测量精度达2 cm,对Jason-2和Saral高度计多个周期定标得到的海面高偏差均值分别为5.7 cm和-2.3 cm,与国际专门定标场的结果符合较好。2014年9月和2015年5月HY-2A卫星高度计浮标定标结果分别是-65 cm和-91 cm,因两次结果差异显著,故又利用千里岩验潮站资料对HY-2A卫星高度计第56至73周期进行了定标分析,结果证明HY-2A卫星海面高存在约-51 cm/a的漂移,置信度为95%的回归分析表明浮标和验潮定标结果符合。本文研究结果表明在我国尚无专门定标场的情况下,可利用GNSS浮标对我国高度计实施灵活、精准的在轨绝对定标,在有高度计轨迹经过验潮站的情况下可使用验潮资料结合精密大地水准面模型进行绝对定标。     

Calibration of TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason Altimeter Data to Construct a Continuous Record of Mean Sea Level Change

Jason, the successor to the TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) mission, has been designed to continue seamlessly the decade-long altimetric sea level record initiated by T/P. Intersatellite calibration has determined the relative bias to an accuracy of 1.6 mm rms. Tide gauge calibration of the T/P record during its original mission shows a drift of -0.1 ± 0.4 mm/year. The tide gauge calibration of 20 months of nominal Jason data indicates a drift of -5.7 ± 1.0 mm/year, which may be attributable to errors in the orbit ephemeris and the Jason Microwave Radiometer. The analysis of T/P and Jason altimeter data over the past decade has resulted in a determination of global mean sea level change of +2.8 ± 0.4 mm/year.     

一种改进的卫星高度计绝对定标方法:以中国黄海海上试验为例

An improved absolute calibration technology based on indirect measurements was developed through two probative experiments, the performance of which was evaluated by applying the approach to in situ sea surface height(SSH) at the Tianheng Island(tidal gauge) and the satellite nadir(GPS buoy). Using Geoid/MSS(mean sea surface) data, which accounted for a constant offset between nadir and onshore tidal gauge water levels, and TMD(tidal model driver), which canceled out the time-varying offsets, nadir SSH(sea surface height) could be indirectly acquired at an onshore tidal gauge instead of from direct offshore observation. The approach extrapolated the onshore SSH out to the offshore nadir with an accuracy of(1.88±0.20) cm and a standard deviation of 3.3 cm, which suggested that the approach presented was feasible in absolute altimeter calibration/validation(Cal/Val), and the approach enormously facilitated the obtaining SSH from the offshore nadir.     

SARAL/AltiKa Absolute Calibration from the Multi-Mission Corsica Facilities

The geodetic Corsica site was set up in 1998 in order to perform altimeter calibration of the TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) mission and subsequently, Jason-1 and OSTM/Jason-2. The scope of the site was widened in 2005 in order to undertake the calibration of the Envisat mission and most recently of SARAL/AltiKa. Here we present the first results from the latter mission using both indirect and direct calibration/validation approaches. The indirect approach utilizes a coastal tide gauge and, as a consequence, the altimeter derived sea surface height (SSH) needs to be corrected for the geoid slope. The direct approach utilizes a novel GPS-based system deployed offshore under the satellite ground track that permits a direct comparison with the altimeter derived SSH. The advantages and disadvantages of both systems (GPS-based and tide gauges) and methods (direct or indirect) will be described and discussed. Our results for O/IGD-R data show a very good consistency for these three kinds of products: their derived absolute SSH biases are consistent within 17 mm and their associated standard deviation ranges from 31 to 35 mm. The AltiKa absolute SSH bias derived from GPS-zodiac measurement using the direct method is ?54 ±10 mm based on the first 13 cycles.