Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height?
A long-duration, multi-mission altimeter dataset is analyzed to determine its accuracy in determining long-term trends in significant wave height. Two calibration methods are investigated: “altimeter–buoy” calibration and “altimeter–altimeter” calibration. The “altimeter–altimeter” approach shows la...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/4/974 |
| _version_ | 1827652851406471168 |
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| author | Ian R. Young Agustinus Ribal |
| author_facet | Ian R. Young Agustinus Ribal |
| author_sort | Ian R. Young |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A long-duration, multi-mission altimeter dataset is analyzed to determine its accuracy in determining long-term trends in significant wave height. Two calibration methods are investigated: “altimeter–buoy” calibration and “altimeter–altimeter” calibration. The “altimeter–altimeter” approach shows larger positive trends globally, but both approaches are subject to temporal non-homogeneity between altimeter missions. This limits the accuracy of such datasets to approximately ±0.2 cm/year in determining trends in significant wave height. The sampling pattern of the altimeters is also investigated to determine if under-sampling impacts the ability of altimeters to measure trends for higher percentiles. It is concluded that, at the 99th percentile level, sampling issues result in a positive bias in values of trend. At lower percentiles (90th and mean), the sampling issues do not bias the trend estimates significantly. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:07:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38bbb978e3f345e29583ba48ccb3fa1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:07:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-38bbb978e3f345e29583ba48ccb3fa1e2023-11-23T21:55:01ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922022-02-0114497410.3390/rs14040974Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height?Ian R. Young0Agustinus Ribal1Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaDepartment of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaA long-duration, multi-mission altimeter dataset is analyzed to determine its accuracy in determining long-term trends in significant wave height. Two calibration methods are investigated: “altimeter–buoy” calibration and “altimeter–altimeter” calibration. The “altimeter–altimeter” approach shows larger positive trends globally, but both approaches are subject to temporal non-homogeneity between altimeter missions. This limits the accuracy of such datasets to approximately ±0.2 cm/year in determining trends in significant wave height. The sampling pattern of the altimeters is also investigated to determine if under-sampling impacts the ability of altimeters to measure trends for higher percentiles. It is concluded that, at the 99th percentile level, sampling issues result in a positive bias in values of trend. At lower percentiles (90th and mean), the sampling issues do not bias the trend estimates significantly.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/4/974wave climatesignificant wave heightwave climate changealtimeter |
| spellingShingle | Ian R. Young Agustinus Ribal Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height? Remote Sensing wave climate significant wave height wave climate change altimeter |
| title | Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height? |
| title_full | Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height? |
| title_fullStr | Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height? |
| title_short | Can Multi-Mission Altimeter Datasets Accurately Measure Long-Term Trends in Wave Height? |
| title_sort | can multi mission altimeter datasets accurately measure long term trends in wave height |
| topic | wave climate significant wave height wave climate change altimeter |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/4/974 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ianryoung canmultimissionaltimeterdatasetsaccuratelymeasurelongtermtrendsinwaveheight AT agustinusribal canmultimissionaltimeterdatasetsaccuratelymeasurelongtermtrendsinwaveheight |