Data from Satellite TOPEX/POSEIDON

http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/topex/ql_archive.pl?list_files&ql_images/200302#08h

Date: 18 Feb 2003

*Product_Name = Quick-Look GDR v1.0 ;

*Producer_Agency_Name = NASA ;
*Producer_Institution_Name = JPL ;
*Source_Name = TOPEX/POSEIDON ;
*Sensor_Name = ALT>Altimeter ;
*Orbit_Type = ;
*Time_First_Pt = 2003-049T16:00:06.270581 ;
*Time_Last_Pt = 2003-049T23:27:22.289026 ;
*Product_Create_Time = 2003-050T04:34:22.000000 ;
*Records_Read = 24137 ;
*Records_Written = 13922 ;
*Parameter = Time_Past_Epoch [UTC in CCSDS ATB format - yyyy-dddThh:mm:ss.dddddd] ;
*Parameter = Latitude [microdegrees] ;
*Parameter = Longitude [microdegrees] ;
*Parameter = Sea_Surf_Hght [mm] ;
*Parameter = Sigma0_K [.01 db] ;
*Parameter = SWH_K [0.1 m] ;
*Parameter = sea_surf_anomaly [mm] (DERIVED) ;
*Parameter = windspeed [m/sec at 19.5m above the sea surface] (DERIVED) ;
*Parameter = water_vapor_content [g/cm^2] (DERIVED) ;
*Parameter = total_electron_content [10^16 electrons/m^2] (DERIVED) ;
*Parameter = ssh_bad_fit_flag [0=line fit worked reasonably well; 1=line fit did not work OK ] (DERIVED) ;
*Parameter = Compress_RMS_Flag ;
*Parameter = Deep_Water_Flag ;
*Parameter = Rain_Flag ;
*Parameter = Ocean_Tide_Flag ;
*Parameter = TB_Interp_Flag ;
*Note = Parameters are listed in the order they appear in each record. ;
*Note = All params not marked as DERIVED are taken directly from an I/GDR file. ;
*Note = See T/P GDR User's Handbook (JPL D-8944) for definitions of these non-derived params. ;
*Note = Formulae for derived values: ;
*Note = [total_electron_content = -0.46*Iono_Corr] ;
*Note = [sea_surf_anomaly = Sea_Surf_Hght - (Mean_Sea_Surf-130) - Ocean_Tide] ;
*Note = [windspeed = (see T/P MGDR-B Handbook, JPL-D11007, Sec 4.10) ] ;
*Note = [water_vapor_content = path_delay_cm/(6.524-(0.02797*path_delay_cm)+(4.9E-4*(path_delay_cm**2)) ;
*Note = where path_delay_cm = (Wet_Tropo_Rad / -10.0) ] ;
*Note = [ssh_bad_fit_flag = G1071_Compression OR G1071_Pt_Deviations OR G1071_Slope_Fit] ;
*Note = Flag values are 1=flag set, 0=flag not set. ;
*Note = Data in this file passed the following quality check (see GDR Handbook for flag definitions): ;
*Note = (Waveforms_Flagged == 0) /* AltBad1 bit_2 */ ;
*Note = (TFLAG == 0) /* AltBad1 bit_3 */ ;
*Note = (Iono_Bad_Sum_Flag == 0) /* AltBad1 bit_6 */ ;
*Note = (Total_Range_Corr == 0) /* AltBad1 bit_7 */ ;
*Note = (Alt_Land_Flag == 0) /* Geo_Bad bit_1 */ ;
*Note = (TMR_Land_Flag == 0) /* Geo_Bad bit_2 */ ;
*Note = (TB_Interp_Flag <= 1) /* Geo_Bad bits_5_6 0=good,1=fair*/ ;
*Note = (Ice_Flag == 0) /* Geo_Bad bit_7 */ ;
*Note = (Alt_Bad2 == 0) /* Pointing/seastate/sigma0 limit flags (1 byte) */ ;
*Note = Data records are time ordered. ;
*Note = 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 ;
*23456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+1234;
*End_of_Header ;
Selected Data

Time Lat Long Sig.Wave Ht. Wind Speed

(0.1m) (m/s)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2003-049T19:58:26.784543 -2006283 100618779 -9532 1289 6 -2364 3.466200 5.522135 17.020000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T19:58:27.857076 -1953690 100637557 -8868 1306 6 -2443 3.131000 5.490478 18.400000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T19:59:46.157706 1886234 102007098 -1926 1267 10 -2708 3.889300 5.458775 19.320000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T19:59:47.230169 1938825 102025874 -1865 1268 7 -2531 3.889300 5.442907 17.940000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T19:59:48.302633 1991415 102044651 -1872 1206 7 -2415 5.523800 5.537946 16.100000 0 0 1 1 0 0
2003-049T20:01:01.245387 5566971 103327271 -2479 1374 7 -2089 2.204600 3.579669 19.320000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:02.317915 5619517 103346243 -2686 1362 7 -2119 2.342000 3.579669 13.340000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:03.390446 5672062 103365219 -2898 1372 7 -2148 2.204600 3.563023 16.560000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:04.462977 5724607 103384200 -3122 1358 7 -2188 2.392600 3.546375 18.860000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:05.535511 5777150 103403185 -3333 1365 6 -2219 2.296200 3.546375 13.800000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:06.608047 5829693 103422174 -3495 1357 6 -2197 2.392600 3.546375 17.940000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:07.680586 5882234 103441168 -3694 1355 6 -2199 2.443200 3.563023 17.480000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:08.753127 5934775 103460166 -3883 1351 6 -2192 2.493800 3.546375 17.480000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:09.825669 5987314 103479168 -4047 1342 6 -2157 2.595000 3.529725 18.400000 0 0 1 0 0 0
2003-049T20:01:10.898212 6039853 103498176 -4242 1327 6 -2160 2.815800 3.563023 16.560000 0 0 1 0 0 0

Date: 18 Feb. 2003

Time: 2001 hrs (UTC) i.e. 0401 hrs Malaysian Time on 19/2/03
Lat: 5.57 deg N
Long. 103.33 deg E
Sig. Wave Ht.: 0.7 m
Wind Speed.: 2.204 m/s (at 19.5 m above sea-level)
Some schematic summary of the correction that
must be applied to the altimeter range
measurement R and the relations between R, the
orbit height H and the height h of the sea surface
relative to an ellipsoidal approximation of the
equipotential of the sea surface relative from
combined effects of the earth's gravity and
centrifugal forces (the geoid). The dynamic sea
surface elevation hd that is of interest for ocean
circulation studies is obtained from h by
subtracting the height hg of geoid undulations
relative to the reference ellipsoid and the height
variations hT and ha from tides and atmospheric
pressure loading respectively.