The 1-Centimeter Orbit: Jason-1 Precision Orbit Determination Using GPS, SLR, DORIS, and Altimeter Data

The Jason-1 radar altimeter satellite, launched on December 7, 2001 is the follow on to the highly successful TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) mission and will continue the time series of centimeter level ocean topography measurements. Orbit error is a major component in the overall error budget of all altimeter satellite missions. Jason-1 is no exception and has set a 1-cm radial orbit accuracy goal, which represents a factor of two improvement over what is currently being achieved for T/P. The challenge to precision orbit determination (POD) is both achieving the 1-cm radial orbit accuracy and evaluating the performance of the 1-cm orbit. There is reason to hope such an improvement is possible. The early years of T/P showed that GPS tracking data collected by an on-board receiver holds great promise for precise orbit determination. In the years following the T/P launch there have been several enhancements to GPS, improving its POD capability. In addition, Jason-1 carries aboard an enhanced GPS receiver and significantly improved SLR and DORIS tracking systems along with the altimeter itself. In this article we demonstrate the 1-cm radial orbit accuracy goal has been achieved using GPS data alone in a reduced dynamic solution. It is also shown that adding SLR data to the GPS-based solutions improves the orbits even further. In order to assess the performance of these orbits it is necessary to process all of the available tracking data (GPS, SLR, DORIS, and altimeter crossover differences) as either dependent or independent of the orbit solutions. It was also necessary to compute orbit solutions using various combinations of the four available tracking data in order to independently assess the orbit performance. Towards this end, we have greatly improved orbits determined solely from SLR+DORIS data by applying the reduced dynamic solution strategy. In addition, we have computed reduced dynamic orbits based on SLR, DORIS, and crossover data that are a significant improvement over the SLR- and DORIS-based dynamic solutions. These solutions provide the best performing orbits for independent validation of the GPS-based reduced dynamic orbits. The application of the 1-cm orbit will significantly improve the resolution of the altimeter measurement, making possible further strides in radar altimeter remote sensing.     

Jason-1 Precision Orbit Determination by Combining SLR and DORIS with GPS Tracking Data

With the implementation of the Jason-1 satellite altimeter mission, the goal of reaching the 1-cm level in orbit accuracy was set. To support the Precision Orbit Determination (POD) requirements, the Jason-1 spacecraft carries receivers for DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite) and GPS (Global Positioning System), as well as a retroreflector for SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging). The overall orbit accuracy for Jason will depend on the quality and the relative weighting of the available tracking data. In this study, the relative importance of the SLR, DORIS, and GPS tracking data is assessed along with the most effective parameterization for accounting for the unmodeled accelerations through the application of empirical accelerations. The optimal relative weighting for each type of tracking data was examined. It is demonstrated that GPS tracking alone is capable of supporting a radial orbit accuracy for Jason-1 at the 1-cm level, and that including SLR tracking provides additional benefits. It is also shown that the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) gravity model GGM01S provides a significant improvement in the orbit accuracy and reduction in the level of geographically correlated orbit errors.     

Simultaneous Ocean Wave Measurements by the Jason and Topex Satellites, with Buoy and Model Comparisons

The verification phase of the Jason-1 satellite altimeter mission presents a unique opportunity for comparing near-simultaneous, independent satellite measurements. Here we examine simultaneous significant wave height measurements by the Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon altimeters. These data are also compared with in situ measurements from deep-ocean buoys and with predicted wave heights from the Wave Watch III operational model. The rms difference between Jason and TOPEX wave heights is 28 cm, and this can be lowered by half through improved outlier editing and filtering of high-frequency noise. Noise is slightly larger in the Jason dataset, exceeding TOPEX by about 7 cm rms at frequencies above 0.05 Hz, which is the frequency at which the coherence between TOPEX and Jason measurements drops to zero. Jason wave heights are more prone to outliers, especially during periods of moderate to high backscatter. Buoy comparisons confirm previous reports that TOPEX wave heights are roughly 5% smaller than buoy measurements for waves between 2 and 5 m; Jason heights in general are 3% smaller than TOPEX. Spurious dips in the TOPEX density function for 3- and 6-m waves, a problem that has existed since the beginning of the mission, can be solved by waveform retracking.     

Seafloor mapping from high-density satellite altimetry

In this paper, we publish the results of a bathymetry survey based on the processing of satellite altimetry data. Data gathered from GEOSAT (Geodetic Mission), SEASAT, ERS-1 and TOPEX/POSEIDON satellites were processed to recover the seafloor topography over new seamounts in a test area located in the south central Pacific. We show that by processing high-density satellite altimetry data, alone or in combination with shiptrack bathymetric data, it is possible to produce full coverage bathymetric maps.     

运用调和分析方法分离卫星高度计资料中的潮汐信息

针对TOPEX／POSEIDON卫星高度计资料中的潮汐高频混淆现象，采用潮汐调和分析方法，通过比较卫星上、下行轨道交叉点两组资料分析的分潮振幅和分离潮汐后的海面高度；同时比较潮位站实测资料与遥感资料分析的分潮振幅，结果表明：采用潮汐调和分析可以有效地分离高度计资料中的潮汐信息。     

TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason Equatorial Sea Surface Slope Anomaly in the Atlantic in 2002: Comparison with Wind and Current Measurements at 23W

A time series of velocity profile in the upper 150 m of the equatorial Atlantic was gathered at 23W in 2002 within the PIRATA program. It constitutes the first time series of near surface current measurements simultaneous with altimetric data in the equatorial Atlantic. The surface slope anomaly along the equator is computed from satellite altimetry, and, as a proxy for the pressure gradient along the equator, compared with the wind and near surface current data. In a first step, a time series of the surface slope anomaly along the equator in the Atlantic is computed from the 10-year-long TOPEX/Poseidon sea level anomalies. A sensitivity study establishes the robustness of the calculation. Apart from a 15 cm bias, the equatorial sea surface slope anomalies estimated either from TOPEX/Poseidon or from Jason over the 6-month overlap (Feb.-Aug. 2002) do not reveal drastic differences. We produce two sea surface slope anomaly composite time series for 2002 (one with T/P data, the other with Jason data during the commissioning phase) and compare them to the wind and velocity data at 23W. As expected, the near surface velocity and depth of the upper limit of the equatorial undercurrent (EUC) are extremely well correlated with the surface pressure gradient anomaly. 10-year-long time series of altimetry-derived zonal sea surface slope anomaly and ECMWF ERA40 wind stress are also well correlated. They exhibit similar spectral content and similar anomalous years. This is a first step towards a full analysis of the EUC dynamics using altimetry, PIRATA data (near surface current and subsurface thermohaline structure) and model. These initial comparisons reinforce the utility of Jason measurements for continuing the 10-year and highly accurate TOPEX/Poseidon time series for study of equatorial signals.     

The GAVDOS Mean Sea Level and Altimeter Calibration Facility: Results for Jason-1

The location of the GAVDOS facility is under a crossing point of the original ground-tracks of TOPEX/Poseidon and the present ones for Jason-1, and adjacent to an ENVISAT pass, about 50 km south of Crete, Greece. Ground observations and altimetry comparisons over cycles 70 to 90, indicate that a preliminary estimate of the absolute measurement bias for the Jason-1 altimeter is 144.7 ± 15 mm. Comparison of Jason microwave radiometer data from cycles 37 and 62, with locally collected water vapor radiometer and solar spectrometer observations indicate a 1-2 mm agreement.     

资源三号02星激光测高精度分析与验证

资源三号02星搭载了我国首台对地观测的卫星激光测高试验性载荷,对该载荷的精度进行了理论分析,并采用多个区域进行了实际精度验证,同时对其在航天测绘中的应用进行了试验。资源三号02星激光测高仪在平坦地区(坡度≤2°)的理论高程精度为0.85m、平面精度14.2m。试验表明,资源三号02星激光测高仪获得的有效测高数据约占23.89%,检校场区域其高程精度为0.89m,平面精度为14.76m;华北地区高精度DSM地形数据验证其高程精度为1.09m,内陆渤海海面上的激光高程精度为0.47m。将激光足印点作为高程控制点时,在陕西渭南试验区能将资源三号02星立体影像无地面控制的高程精度从11.54m提高到1.90m。虽然资源三号02星激光测高仪为试验性载荷,但试验结果证实国产卫星激光测高数据能有效提高立体影像无地面控制的高程精度,在全球测图工程中具有推广应用价值,建议后续立体测图卫星搭载业务化应用的激光测高仪。     

双星串飞编队卫星测高模式下高度计相对定标

提出了一种新型双星串飞编队卫星测高模式下高度计之间的相对定标方法,给出了计算高度计相对偏差的完整公式;采用Jason-2卫星数据,对相对偏差计算公式中的各误差项进行了功率谱分析以及差分序列的统计分析;以厘米级定标精度为前提,简化了相对偏差计算公式并进行了误差预估。结果表明,相对偏差中各误差项均呈现低频特性,相对偏差误差主要与两颗卫星的相对径向轨道误差、测距误差、海况偏差及两星下比较点间的水准面高差相关,单次飞行高度计之间相对偏差的精度约为1.99cm。     

The Adriatic Sea M2 and K1 tides by 3D model and data assimilation

In the present work we explore the impact of assimilating local tide-gauge and altimetric data on the quality of predicting the major Adriatic tides (M₂ and K₁). To that end we compute optimal tidal open boundary conditions for a 3D high-resolution finite-element model by using an incremental assimilation formalism. The essence of the method is the use of two dynamical models where the solution in the complex 3D high-resolution model is sought via assimilation of prediction errors into the simpler 2D model with explicit inverse. In the central numerical experiment, harmonic constants from 12 tide gauges are assimilated and the results are analysed at 31 locations, hence 19 independent ones. The data assimilation contributes to the reduction of maximum amplitude error from 5.6 to 0.5 cm for M₂ and from 3.9 to 0.1 cm for K₁. The assimilation procedure is repeated by assimilating suitably processed Topex/Poseidon altimeter data, again validating the outcome at 31 tide gauge locations. The result was very similar to the gauge-data assimilation outcome. The model output is also validated with the current data, not used in the assimilation. At two locations and at three depths the model was able to reproduce the major and the minor semi-axes of tidal ellipses, as well as their orientations very well.