Abstract's details

Daily harmonics of ionospheric Total Electron Content and implications for single-frequency altimeters

Richard Ray (NASA/GSFC, United States)

Event: 2019 Ocean Surface Topography Science Team Meeting

Session: Quantifying Errors and Uncertainties in Altimetry data

Presentation type: Type Poster

Contribution: not provided

Abstract:

An invaluable time series of the ionosphere's Total Electron Content (TEC) is available thanks to the Topex/Poseidon and Jason missions. Unlike sun-synchronous altimeters, these missions can be used to map daily harmonics of TEC, much like is done for ocean tides. Of special interest is TEC variability at n cycles/day, their seasonal variability, and their dependence on solar fluxes. A recent comprehensive paper by Lean et al. (2016) explored much of this material by using TEC data determined from the global network of GNSS stations. I discuss the kinds of high-wavenumber errors that occur in these GPS products, which nadir altimeters are particularly good at highlighting. The implications of relying on GNSS-based TEC data to correct for path delay -- now done routinely for single-frequency altimeters -- will be explored. Errors directly impacting determination of ocean tides are most obvious.

 

Poster show times:

Room Start Date End Date
The Gallery Tue, Oct 22 2019,16:15 Tue, Oct 22 2019,18:00
The Gallery Thu, Oct 24 2019,14:00 Thu, Oct 24 2019,15:45
Richard Ray
NASA/GSFC
United States
richard.ray@nasa.gov