CoAuthors

Xu Yang (SGT Inc., USA); Nikita Zelensky (SGT Inc., USA); Frank Lemoine (NASA GSFC, USA); Doug Vandemark (University of New Hampshire, USA); Hui Feng (University of New Hampshire, USA); Ngan Tran (CLS, France); Martina Ricko (SGT Inc., USA); Gary Mitchum (University of South Florida, USA); Thomas Feroli (SGT Inc., USA); Charon Birkett (University of Maryland, USA)

The SARAL/AltiKa mission provides the long-awaited extension to the ERS/EnviSat 35-day repeat sea surface height (SSH) time series. In this presentation we assess the accuracy of the SSH measurements from the first year of operation via independent crossover and collinear residual analyses and with respect to coincident Jason-2 measurements. In an effort to provide consistency with the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, and Jason-2 Climate Data Record, we have generated and applied GSFC std1401 replacement orbits and non-parametric sea state bias models, and report accuracy improvement metrics. Verification results of instrument stability required for credible global mean sea level trend estimates are reported.