Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies

This study addresses the impact of satellite altimetry data processing on sea levelstudies at regional scale, with emphasis on the influence of various geophysical correctionsand satellite orbit on the structure of the derived interannual signal and sea level trend. Thework focuses on the analysis o...

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Main Authors: Clara Lázaro, Susana Barbosa, M. Joana Fernandes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2006-03-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/6/3/131/
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author Clara Lázaro
Susana Barbosa
M. Joana Fernandes
author_facet Clara Lázaro
Susana Barbosa
M. Joana Fernandes
author_sort Clara Lázaro
collection DOAJ
description This study addresses the impact of satellite altimetry data processing on sea levelstudies at regional scale, with emphasis on the influence of various geophysical correctionsand satellite orbit on the structure of the derived interannual signal and sea level trend. Thework focuses on the analysis of TOPEX data for a period of over twelve years, for threeregions in the North Atlantic: Tropical (0o≤Æ≤25o), Sub-Tropical (25o≤Æ≤50o) and Sub-Arctic (50o≤Æ≤65o). For this analysis corrected sea level anomalies with respect to a meansea surface model have been derived from the GDR-Ms provided by AVISO by applyingvarious state-of-the-art models for the geophysical corrections. Results show that sea leveltrend determined from TOPEX altimetry is dependent on the adopted models for the majorgeophysical corrections. The main effects come from the sea state bias (SSB), and from theapplication or not of the inverse barometer (IB) correction. After an appropriate modellingof the TOPEX A/B bias, the two analysed SSB models induce small variations in sea leveltrend, from 0.0 to 0.2 mm/yr, with a small latitude dependence. The difference in sea leveltrend determined by a non IB-corrected series and an IB-corrected one has a strong regionaldependence with large differences in the shape of the interannual signals and in the derivedlinear trends. The use of two different drift models for the TOPEX Microwave Radiometer(TMR) has a small but non negligible effect on the North Atlantic sea level trend of about0.1 mm/yr. The interannual signals of sea level time series derived with the NASA and theCNES orbits respectively, show a small departure in the middle of the series, which has noimpact on the derived sea level trend. These results strike the need for a continuousimprovement in the modelling of the various effects that influence the altimetermeasurement.
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spelling doaj.art-6d2940ec8a3448b4a6343bbdccb389e52022-12-22T02:21:21ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202006-03-016313116310.3390/s6030131Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level StudiesClara LázaroSusana BarbosaM. Joana FernandesThis study addresses the impact of satellite altimetry data processing on sea levelstudies at regional scale, with emphasis on the influence of various geophysical correctionsand satellite orbit on the structure of the derived interannual signal and sea level trend. Thework focuses on the analysis of TOPEX data for a period of over twelve years, for threeregions in the North Atlantic: Tropical (0o≤Æ≤25o), Sub-Tropical (25o≤Æ≤50o) and Sub-Arctic (50o≤Æ≤65o). For this analysis corrected sea level anomalies with respect to a meansea surface model have been derived from the GDR-Ms provided by AVISO by applyingvarious state-of-the-art models for the geophysical corrections. Results show that sea leveltrend determined from TOPEX altimetry is dependent on the adopted models for the majorgeophysical corrections. The main effects come from the sea state bias (SSB), and from theapplication or not of the inverse barometer (IB) correction. After an appropriate modellingof the TOPEX A/B bias, the two analysed SSB models induce small variations in sea leveltrend, from 0.0 to 0.2 mm/yr, with a small latitude dependence. The difference in sea leveltrend determined by a non IB-corrected series and an IB-corrected one has a strong regionaldependence with large differences in the shape of the interannual signals and in the derivedlinear trends. The use of two different drift models for the TOPEX Microwave Radiometer(TMR) has a small but non negligible effect on the North Atlantic sea level trend of about0.1 mm/yr. The interannual signals of sea level time series derived with the NASA and theCNES orbits respectively, show a small departure in the middle of the series, which has noimpact on the derived sea level trend. These results strike the need for a continuousimprovement in the modelling of the various effects that influence the altimetermeasurement.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/6/3/131/Satellite AltimetrySea Level ChangeGeophysical Corrections
spellingShingle Clara Lázaro
Susana Barbosa
M. Joana Fernandes
Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies
Sensors
Satellite Altimetry
Sea Level Change
Geophysical Corrections
title Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies
title_full Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies
title_fullStr Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies
title_short Impact of Altimeter Data Processing on Sea Level Studies
title_sort impact of altimeter data processing on sea level studies
topic Satellite Altimetry
Sea Level Change
Geophysical Corrections
url http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/6/3/131/
work_keys_str_mv AT claralaƒazaro impactofaltimeterdataprocessingonsealevelstudies
AT susanabarbosa impactofaltimeterdataprocessingonsealevelstudies
AT mjoanafernandes impactofaltimeterdataprocessingonsealevelstudies