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

Authors: ERIC LEULIETTE¹; R. NEREM¹; GARY MITCHUM²

Source: Marine Geodesy, Volume 27, Numbers 1-2, Numbers 1-2/2004 , pp. 79-94(16)

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Abstract:

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.

Keywords: Jason; TOPEX/POSEIDON; calibration; verification; sea level

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01490410490465193

Affiliations: 1: Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research University of Colorado at Boulder Boulder Colorado USA 2: College of Marine Science University of South Florida St. Petersburg Florida USA

Publication date: 2004-01-01

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