Removal of Covariant Errors from Altimetric Wave Height Data

Quartly, GD 2019 Removal of Covariant Errors from Altimetric Wave Height Data. Remote Sensing, 11 (19). 2319. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11192319

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11192319

Abstract/Summary

The echo waveforms received by conventional radar altimeters are interpreted by retracking algorithms to give estimates of range, wave height, and backscatter strength. However, in response to fading noise on the waveform leading edge, common retrackers, such as MLE-3 and MLE-4, show correlated errors in wave height and range. This correlation is used to develop a correction to the wave height data that reduces the high-frequency variability by ∼22%, without affecting the global distribution of values. This correction also results in a closer matchup of Jason-2 and Jason-3 data during their tandem phase. Although the correction is quite straightforward in practice, the appropriate conversion factor has to be determined for each combination of altimeter and retracker. There are also remaining open questions concerning the needed low-pass filtering.

Item Type: Publication - Article
Divisions: Plymouth Marine Laboratory > National Capability categories > NERC Earth Observation Data Acquisition & Analysis Service (NEODAAS)
Depositing User: S Hawkins
Date made live: 16 Oct 2019 11:06
Last Modified: 25 Apr 2020 10:00
URI: https://plymsea.ac.uk/id/eprint/8250

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