Preliminary Assessment and Use ofERS-1Altimeter Wave Data

Abstract

Abstract The satellite ERS-1, launched in July 1991, carries a radar altimeter that provides collocated measurements of significant wave height and wind speed over the oceans. During the calibration period, significant wave height and wind speed simulations from wave models at several national weather forecasting centers were used to assess the accuracy of the altimeter observations. This provided a rapid check on observation quality and assisted in validating the instrument. Comparison with altimeter data showed the U.K. Meteorological Office (UKMO) wave forecast system to be lacking in swell. Verification figures comparing the UKMO wave model to EPS-1 data were similar to those comparing the model against moored buoy data. Once the quality of altimeter data was established, an assimilation trial was run. From the start of November 1991 to the end of January 1992 the altimeter data were assimilated into the UKMO wave forecast system in real time, with the operational wave products as a control. The main ...