Accuracy analysis of multi-base InSAR altimeter in ocean surface relative elevation measurement

Abstract

A new sea-level elevation measurement system was introduced, which uses a distributed multi-base forward-scattering mechanism. After introducing the working principle of the system, this study analyses the main influencing factors of relative elevation measurement in detail. It is proved through quantitative expression that the interferometric phase error is the main error source affecting relative elevation measurement. In order to evaluate the system capability and prove that the multi-base InSAR (MbInSAR) can meet the application requirements of gravity field inversion through relative ocean surface elevation measurement, three aspects of decorrelation, geometric decorrelation, volumetric decorrelation, and SNR decorrelation, are analysed as the interferometric phase error sources.

Keywords

• gravity
• remote sensing by radar
• synthetic aperture radar
• oceanographic techniques
• radar interferometry
• interferometric phase error sources
• multibase InSAR altimeter
• ocean surface relative elevation measurement
• sea-level elevation measurement system
• multibase forward-scattering mechanism
• ocean surface elevation measurement
• gravity field inversion
• geometric decorrelation
• volumetric decorrelation
• SNR decorrelation