ERS2 Global Sea Surface Heights


Updated January 10, 2003

NASA/GSFC Pathfinder ERS-2 Georeferenced Altimetry Heritage: CERSAT OPR 6.0
Version 5.4

Version 5.4 Updates from Version 5.3

  • Version 5.4 contains cycles 1 - 78 (04/29/1995 - 08/26/2002).

    Version 5.3 Updates from Version 5.2

  • Version 5.3 contains cycles 1 - 68 (04/29/1995 - 09/10/2001).
  • Reference GSFC MSS extended several degrees north to recover additional observations.

    Version 5.2 Updates from Version 5.1

  • Version 5.2 contains cycles 1 - 58.
  • Improved SPTR range correction applied.
  • DGM-E04 orbits recomputed by Delft with new atmospheric model for cycles 43 - 58.

    Version 5.1 Updates from Version 5.0

  • Version 5.1 contains cycles 1 - 54.
  • Ocean tide model replaced with GSFC GOT99.3 resulting in recovery of additional inland sea areas.

    Version 5.0 Updates from Version 4.1

  • Version 5.0 contains cycles 1 - 50.
  • Ocean tide model updated with GOT99.2
  • Mean sea surface reference updated with GSFC00.1 MSS.
  • Cross track gradient correction recomputed with respect to GSFC00.1 MSS.

    Version 4.1 Updates from Version 4.0

  • Version 4.1 contains cycles 1 - 48. Cycle 48 is not defined and was added to pad record length for machines requiring 4-byte words.

    Version 4.0 Updates from Version 3.0

  • Version 4.0 contains cycles 1 - 44.

    Version 3.0 Updates

  • Version 3.0 contains cycles 1 - 35. Cycle 36 is not defined and was added to pad record length for machines requiring 4-byte words.
  • Ionosphere corrections from IRI95 model recomputed with updated solar and ionospheric indices (IG12, Rz12).
  • A secular trend for the Earth's mean pole position has now been removed before computing pole tide (mm level omission error).

    ERS2 Parameter File Record Description
    Variable Word Size Bytes
    Along Track Index I*2 2
    Revolution Number I*2 2
    Sea Surface Residual Height Array (mm) I*2 140

    Algorithms and corrections used are available here

    Editing was performed on the data based on these criteria.

    A flagword for each sea surface residual height was set based on certain tests.