Abstract's details
Reduction of the Sea Surface Height spectral hump using a new retracker decorrelating ocean estimated parameters (DCORE)
CoAuthors
Event: 2014 Ocean Surface Topography Science Team Meeting
Session: Instrument Processing: Measurement and retracking (SAR and LRM)
Presentation type: Type Oral
Contribution: PDF file
Abstract:
Sea Surface Height spectra of low resolution mode (LRM) altimetry products are impacted by a "hump" which degrades the observation of ocean scales smaller than 100 km. Previous studies have shown that this hump is due to inhomogeneities of the ocean surface (blooms, rains cells or any other phenomenon) that affect the altimeter waveforms shape so that the retracking Brown model is no longer appropriate to process them.
A new retracker has been developed to mitigate these effects. This retracker (DCORE for parameters DeCOrrelation REtracker) is based on a modified waveform analytical model that decorrelates the surface estimated parameters so that the deformations of the trailing edge have the least impact as possible on the estimates.
First, this retracker has been tested using simulated and few cycles of real Jason-2 data. Then, a whole year of Jason-2 data has been compared to SAR CNES CPP (CryoSat-2 Processor Prototype) CryoSat-2 SAR mode data over the Agulhas Current. It has been shown that this retracking significantly reduces the spectral bump but also the noise on the estimated parameters.
This presentation provides a description of the DCORE retracker and the main analysis results. The main perspective studies of this work will be also provided along with our recommendations in terms of applications for Ku Band LRM and PLRM modes, for Ka band altimetry and for non ocean surfaces (coastal, inland water and ice).
A new retracker has been developed to mitigate these effects. This retracker (DCORE for parameters DeCOrrelation REtracker) is based on a modified waveform analytical model that decorrelates the surface estimated parameters so that the deformations of the trailing edge have the least impact as possible on the estimates.
First, this retracker has been tested using simulated and few cycles of real Jason-2 data. Then, a whole year of Jason-2 data has been compared to SAR CNES CPP (CryoSat-2 Processor Prototype) CryoSat-2 SAR mode data over the Agulhas Current. It has been shown that this retracking significantly reduces the spectral bump but also the noise on the estimated parameters.
This presentation provides a description of the DCORE retracker and the main analysis results. The main perspective studies of this work will be also provided along with our recommendations in terms of applications for Ku Band LRM and PLRM modes, for Ka band altimetry and for non ocean surfaces (coastal, inland water and ice).