Impact of Satellite Attitude on Altimetry Calibration with Microwave Transponders

Satellite altimetry plays a key role in monitoring changes sea level and climate change. The quality of satellite products is commonly ensured through dedicated calibration. One such calibration with microwave transponders acting as ground reference point targets. It common practice that ranges between the transponder phase center gravity (CoG) are compared against true geometric to determine bias. Transponder are, however, realized by two centers altimeter transponder. So, make this comparison feasible, space origin measured range transferred from (APC) CoG applying constant offset, usually referred “CoG correction”. Instead fixed correction”, work introduces actual vector APC space, examining attitude. Thus, observed distances both APC. case Jason-3 Sentinel-6A Michael Freilich (Sentinel-6A MF) on Crete (CDN1) Gavdos (GVD1) islands examined. At first, attitude determined its quaternions. Then, analysis reveals bias correlated revised brings about which fluctuate −2 mm 1 −110μs +110 μs datation for Jason-3. Spectral differences conventional calibrations constituents periods 117, 39 23 days. Finally, methodology crossover over GVD1 results an improvement mean ascending descending orbits 12% 14% (preliminary) MF.