Determination of instantaneous sea surface, wave heights, and ocean currents using satellite observations of the global positioning system
Titel:
Determination of instantaneous sea surface, wave heights, and ocean currents using satellite observations of the global positioning system
Auteur:
Hein, Gunter W. Landau, Herbert Blomenhofer, Helmut
Verschenen in:
Marine geodesy
Paginering:
Jaargang 14 (1990) nr. 3-4 pagina's 217-224
Jaar:
1990-07
Inhoud:
Using GPS phase observations in the kinematic mode, we are able to achieve centimeter accuracy in relative three-dimensional coordinates. This could be verified even for fast-moving sensors in aircraft, such as airborne photogrammetric cameras, at the time of exposure. Sophisticated kinematic software has been developed resolving cycle slips and carrier-phase ambiguities during motion. To determine the instantaneous sea surface, the GPS receiver is placed in a free-drifting buoy with the antenna on top. Differencing the 1-Hz observations, wave heights can be determined as well as velocity and direction of ocean (tidal) currents. This article deals with the experiences from a test for the practical realization of this proposal. Hardware installation, software, and data analysis are described. Plans to use such an observational scenario of a GPS buoy array in the North Sea for the calibration of the radar altimeter of the European satellite ERS-1 are presented.