Submeter ocean altimetry with GPS L1 C/A signal

Abstract

The ultimate accuracy and precision of conventional1 and interferometric2 Global Positioning Satellite System Rerflectometry (GNSS-R) techniques for mesoscale ocean altimetry are still a matter of debate in the scientific community. The results obtained depend on the techniques used to identify the point of the specular delay in the waveform, and to perform the different delay corrections to derive the geometric delay. Also, the geometric model assumed for the scenario determines the accuracy of the altimeter range. This work presents the results of two ESA-sponsored airborne experiments using conventional GNSS-R showing subdecimeter altimetric precision with the Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 C/A code only. The Relative Mean Dynamic Topography (RMDT) obtained in both experiments is compared with results derived from traditional radar altimetry provided by Jason 2. The Root Mean Square (RMS) of the RMDT difference between both measurement systems is 48 cm for the first flight, and 198 cm for the second flight. Additionally, results from the second flight experiment show the capability of the proposed technique to retrieve sea slope measurements by superposing the ground track with EM96 geoid undulations.