Articles | Volume 21, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-133-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-133-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
24 Jan 2025
Research article |
| 24 Jan 2025
| 24 Jan 2025
Understanding uncertainties in the satellite altimeter measurement of coastal sea level: insights from a round-robin analysis
Florence Birol
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
LEGOS, University of Toulouse, IRD, CNES, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
François Bignalet-Cazalet
Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Toulouse, France
Mathilde Cancet
LEGOS, University of Toulouse, IRD, CNES, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
NOVELTIS, Toulouse, France
Jean-Alexis Daguze
Collecte Localisation Satellites, Ramonville-Saint-Agne, France
Wassim Fkaier
LEGOS, University of Toulouse, IRD, CNES, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
Ergane Fouchet
NOVELTIS, Toulouse, France
Mercator Ocean International, Toulouse, France
Fabien Léger
LEGOS, University of Toulouse, IRD, CNES, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
Claire Maraldi
Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Toulouse, France
Fernando Niño
LEGOS, University of Toulouse, IRD, CNES, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
Marie-Isabelle Pujol
Collecte Localisation Satellites, Ramonville-Saint-Agne, France
Ngan Tran
Collecte Localisation Satellites, Ramonville-Saint-Agne, France
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Cited
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Towards a global assessment of sandy shorelines: Systematic extraction and validation of optical satellite-derived coastal indicators at various sites M. Graffin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2025.115033
- Assessing future climate change impacts on marine renewable energy resources in the UK under a high emission scenario with CMIP6 and SWAN J. McWhirter et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2026.125813
- Assessment of Wave Energy Converter Performance with Satellite Data F. Onea et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14131208
- The influence of native temporal resolution on the performance of real-time global ionospheric maps H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-026-02113-w
- Elevation uncertainties in the Mekong Delta quantified using a transferable approach K. Seeger & P. Minderhoud https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38315-y
- Comparison of a global high-resolution ocean data assimilation system with SWOT observations E. Fouchet et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1563934
- Satellite altimetry and operational oceanography: from Jason-1 to SWOT P. Le Traon et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1329-2025
- Satellite-Measured Suspended Particulate Matter Flux and Freshwater Flux in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea W. Shi & M. Wang https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17152726
- ALTICAP: a new global satellite altimetry product for coastal applications M. Cancet et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-2319-2026
- $$\beta$$-plane correction for eddy detection and the drivers of eddy activity heterogeneity in a semi-closed maritime continent basin G. Napitupulu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43244-x
- Sea level much higher than assumed in most coastal hazard assessments K. Seeger & P. Minderhoud https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10196-1
- Evaluation of sea-level variability in three oceanic reanalysis products over the East China sea M. Ding et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-025-01749-5
- Significant wave height estimation using X-band radar imagery with wind fusion: Performance enhancement in long-term data environments N. Kang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2026.126591
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Towards a global assessment of sandy shorelines: Systematic extraction and validation of optical satellite-derived coastal indicators at various sites M. Graffin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2025.115033
- Assessing future climate change impacts on marine renewable energy resources in the UK under a high emission scenario with CMIP6 and SWAN J. McWhirter et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2026.125813
- Assessment of Wave Energy Converter Performance with Satellite Data F. Onea et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14131208
- The influence of native temporal resolution on the performance of real-time global ionospheric maps H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-026-02113-w
- Elevation uncertainties in the Mekong Delta quantified using a transferable approach K. Seeger & P. Minderhoud https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-38315-y
- Comparison of a global high-resolution ocean data assimilation system with SWOT observations E. Fouchet et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1563934
- Satellite altimetry and operational oceanography: from Jason-1 to SWOT P. Le Traon et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-1329-2025
- Satellite-Measured Suspended Particulate Matter Flux and Freshwater Flux in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea W. Shi & M. Wang https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17152726
- ALTICAP: a new global satellite altimetry product for coastal applications M. Cancet et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-2319-2026
- $$\beta$$-plane correction for eddy detection and the drivers of eddy activity heterogeneity in a semi-closed maritime continent basin G. Napitupulu et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-43244-x
- Sea level much higher than assumed in most coastal hazard assessments K. Seeger & P. Minderhoud https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10196-1
- Evaluation of sea-level variability in three oceanic reanalysis products over the East China sea M. Ding et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-025-01749-5
- Significant wave height estimation using X-band radar imagery with wind fusion: Performance enhancement in long-term data environments N. Kang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2026.126591
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 21 Jul 2026
Short summary
We take advantage of the availability of several algorithms for most of the terms/corrections used to calculate altimetry sea level data to quantify and analyze the sources of uncertainty associated with the approach to the coast. The results highlight their hierarchy. Tidal corrections and mean sea surface height contribute to coastal sea level data uncertainties. Improving the retracking algorithm is today the main factor to bring accurate altimetry sea level data closer to the shore.
We take advantage of the availability of several algorithms for most of the terms/corrections...
