Gravity field recovery from geodetic altimeter missions

Satellite radar altimetry collected during a number of geodetic missions has provided new understanding the topography and tectonics deep oceans. As altimeter performance coverage improves, smaller structures are revealed. Here we investigate contribution six that have been placed into mapping phases for more than one year. Two types evaluations performed. We first compare composite (all altimeters) grids east north vertical deflection to matching where omitted evaluate their versus latitude. then estimate noise in each by computing median absolute deviation profiles with best grid. Both analyses show SARAL/AltiKa provides greatest ERS-1 no longer any significant improvement. The major limitation recovering small scale gravity features is sea surface roughness from ocean waves. There steady improvements instrumentation processing methods will continue future higher frequency radars interferometric swath altimeters planned missions.