Source/Sensor: Jason-1/Poseidon-2 altimeter

Coverage: 15 January 2002 - present, global oceans

Abstract: GDR files contain full accuracy altimeter data, with a high precision orbit (accuracy ~2.5 cm), provided approximately 35 days after data collection. The instruments on Jason-1 make direct observations of the following quantities: altimeter range, significant wave height, ocean radar backscatter cross-section (a measure of wind speed), ionospheric electron content (derived by a simple formula), tropospheric water content, and position relative to the GPS satellite constellation. The GDR contain all relevant corrections needed to calculate the sea surface height. Sea surface height anomalies are derived from the 1/second GDRs and are based on the recommended data edit criteria specified in the Jason-1 I/GDR User Handbook.

Data Set Volume: Each cycle is approximately 320 MB. Each pass file is approximately 1.6 MBytes.

PO.DAAC anonymous ftp site: podaac.jpl.nasa.gov

Directory: pub/sea_surface_height/jason/igdr/

Smallest order: 1 pass file via ftp

Std. product: ftp

Formats: Binary data (unix byte-order) with ASCII header