In situ Absolute Calibration and Validation - A link from Coastal to Open-Ocean Altimetry

Abstract

The observation ofrising mean sea levels over the Earth's oceans using satellite altimetry has helped infolID and shape the debate on global climate change that has emerged over the last 2 decades (Cazenave and Nerem 2004; Bindoff et al. 2007). The ongoing monitoring of secular changes in global mean sea level with accuracy tolerances of better than I nun/year remains a fundamental science goal within satellite altimetl), and represents one of the most challenging objectives in space geodesy. Central to this objective has been the recognition that calibration and validation (cal/val) are vital components of the altimeter measurement system technique. Cal/val defines a multidisciplinary problem in and of itself, which pushes the limits of available ten'estrial, oceanographic, and space-based observational techniques.