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Oceanographic and geophysical applications of satellite altimetry
Author(s) -
Douglas B. C.,
McAdoo D. C.,
Cheney R. E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg025i005p00875
Subject(s) - altimeter , satellite altimetry , geology , satellite , remote sensing , ocean surface topography , geodesy , ephemeris , solid earth , sea surface height , geophysics , geoid , meteorology , geography , engineering , aerospace engineering , measured depth
Since the last quadrennial report, new satellite altimeter data have not been generally available. Nevertheless, important progress has been made from analyses of Geos 3 and Seasat data. The marine gravity field has been determined to an extraordinary resolution and accuracy, and important solid earth geophysical interpretations made. In the area of oceanography, statistical estimates of the variability of dynamic topography have been published, methods for incorporating altimeter data into numerical models have been developed and applied, and tentative, but interesting determinations of the mean circulation have been made. In addition, altimeter waveform analysis has made it possible to use altimeter data to determine elevations of major ice fields. Finally, important new insights into the nature of satellite ephemeris error and its influence on altimetrically derived sea surface topography have been achieved.