Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6
Abstract Satellite altimetry (SA) is one of the most valuable techniques that measure the sea level data at both the near-coast and offshore. There exists, however, multiple challenges and hindrances in determining and using accurate sea level data. The most pertinent is that evaluation of SA perfor...
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crdegruyter:10.1515/jogs-2022-0159 2024-05-19T07:48:23+00:00 Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 Heinoja, Lenne-Liisa Delpeche-Ellmann, Nicole Ellmann, Artu 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159 https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159/xml https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159/pdf en eng Walter de Gruyter GmbH http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Journal of Geodetic Science volume 13, issue 1 ISSN 2081-9943 journal-article 2023 crdegruyter https://doi.org/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159 2024-04-25T06:52:36Z Abstract Satellite altimetry (SA) is one of the most valuable techniques that measure the sea level data at both the near-coast and offshore. There exists, however, multiple challenges and hindrances in determining and using accurate sea level data. The most pertinent is that evaluation of SA performance requires that all data sources (such as tide gauges (TG) and hydrodynamic models (HDMs)) refer to the same vertical datum. Thus, knowledge of the geoid (equipotential surface of the earth) is essential in linking different sources of sea level. Accordingly, this study examines performance of along-track data for three satellite missions (Sentinel-3A, Jason-3, and Sentinel-6A) to obtain realistic sea level variation and to determine the accuracy of the various missions in the complex area of the eastern Baltic Sea. The methodology consisted of utilizing SA, HDM, and TG data and a high-resolution geoid model. Results show that root-mean-square error (RMSE) varied for Jason-3 within a range of 1.68–50.14 cm, Sentinel 3A with a range of 2.8–46.27 cm, and Sentinel 6A with a range of 3.5–43.90 cm. Sentinel 6A was determined to be the most accurate and reliable satellite mission. Results also showed higher RMSE (15.7–46.2 cm) during (i) the seasonal sea ice month (e.g. March 2018); (ii) at locations of several islands (e.g. eastern section of Gulf); and (iii) at locations where rivers discharged into the Gulf (e.g. Nava, Kemi, Luga, and Neva rivers). These features tended to show up as peaks in the final results even though robust data processing for outliers were undertaken. These results suggests that improvements can still be made in the SA retrackers and also in the data-processing techniques utilized. Article in Journal/Newspaper Sea ice De Gruyter Journal of Geodetic Science 13 1 |
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Open Polar |
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De Gruyter |
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crdegruyter |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Satellite altimetry (SA) is one of the most valuable techniques that measure the sea level data at both the near-coast and offshore. There exists, however, multiple challenges and hindrances in determining and using accurate sea level data. The most pertinent is that evaluation of SA performance requires that all data sources (such as tide gauges (TG) and hydrodynamic models (HDMs)) refer to the same vertical datum. Thus, knowledge of the geoid (equipotential surface of the earth) is essential in linking different sources of sea level. Accordingly, this study examines performance of along-track data for three satellite missions (Sentinel-3A, Jason-3, and Sentinel-6A) to obtain realistic sea level variation and to determine the accuracy of the various missions in the complex area of the eastern Baltic Sea. The methodology consisted of utilizing SA, HDM, and TG data and a high-resolution geoid model. Results show that root-mean-square error (RMSE) varied for Jason-3 within a range of 1.68–50.14 cm, Sentinel 3A with a range of 2.8–46.27 cm, and Sentinel 6A with a range of 3.5–43.90 cm. Sentinel 6A was determined to be the most accurate and reliable satellite mission. Results also showed higher RMSE (15.7–46.2 cm) during (i) the seasonal sea ice month (e.g. March 2018); (ii) at locations of several islands (e.g. eastern section of Gulf); and (iii) at locations where rivers discharged into the Gulf (e.g. Nava, Kemi, Luga, and Neva rivers). These features tended to show up as peaks in the final results even though robust data processing for outliers were undertaken. These results suggests that improvements can still be made in the SA retrackers and also in the data-processing techniques utilized. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Heinoja, Lenne-Liisa Delpeche-Ellmann, Nicole Ellmann, Artu |
spellingShingle |
Heinoja, Lenne-Liisa Delpeche-Ellmann, Nicole Ellmann, Artu Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 |
author_facet |
Heinoja, Lenne-Liisa Delpeche-Ellmann, Nicole Ellmann, Artu |
author_sort |
Heinoja, Lenne-Liisa |
title |
Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 |
title_short |
Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 |
title_full |
Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 |
title_fullStr |
Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – A case study for Sentinel-6 |
title_sort |
examining the performance of along-track multi-mission satellite altimetry – a case study for sentinel-6 |
publisher |
Walter de Gruyter GmbH |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159 https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159/xml https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159/pdf |
genre |
Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Sea ice |
op_source |
Journal of Geodetic Science volume 13, issue 1 ISSN 2081-9943 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1515/jogs-2022-0159 |
container_title |
Journal of Geodetic Science |
container_volume |
13 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1799466615489691648 |