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Towards the 1 mm/y Stability of the Radial Orbit Error at Regional ScalesAn estimated orbit error budget for the Jason-1 and Jason-2 GDR-D solutions is constructed, using several measures of orbit error. The focus is on the long-term stability of the orbit time series for mean sea level applications on a regional scale. We discuss various issues related to the assessment of radial orbit error trends; in particular this study reviews orbit errors dependent on the tracking technique, with an aim to monitoring the long-term stability of all available tracking systems operating on Jason-1 and Jason-2 (GPS, DORIS, SLR). The reference frame accuracy and its effect on Jason orbit is assessed. We also examine the impact of analysis method on the inference of Geographically Correlated Errors as well as the significance of estimated radial orbit error trends versus the time span of the analysis. Thus a long-term error budget of the 10-year Jason-1 and Envisat GDR-D orbit time series is provided for two time scales: interannual and decadal. As the temporal variations of the geopotential remain one of the primary limitations in the Precision Orbit Determination modeling, the overall accuracy of the Jason-1 and Jason-2 GDR-D solutions is evaluated through comparison with external orbits based on different time-variable gravity models. This contribution is limited to an East-West "order-1" pattern at the 2 mm/y level (secular) and 4 mm level (seasonal), over the Jason-2 lifetime. The possibility of achieving sub-mm/y radial orbit stability over interannual and decadal periods at regional scales and the challenge of evaluating such an improvement using in situ independent data is discussed.
Document ID
20160008719
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Couhert, Alexandre
(Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales Toulouse, France)
Cerri, Luca
(Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales Toulouse, France)
Legeais, Jean-Francois
(CLS Saint-Agne, France)
Ablain, Michael
(CLS Saint-Agne, France)
Zelensky, Nikita P.
(SGT, Inc. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Haines, Bruce J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Lemoine, Frank G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Bertiger, William I.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Desai, Shailen D.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Otten, Michiel
(European Space Agency. European Space Operations Center Darmstadt, Germany)
Date Acquired
July 6, 2016
Publication Date
February 19, 2015
Publication Information
Publication: Advances in Space Research
Publisher: Science Direct
Volume: 55
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0273-1177
Subject Category
Geosciences (General)
Space Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN21218
Report Number: GSFC-E-DAA-TN21218
ISSN: 0273-1177
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG11HP14C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Precision Orbit Determination (POD)
Jason
Satellite altimetry

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