Validation of significant wave height product from Envisat ASAR using triple collocation

Abstract

Nowadays, spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has become a powerful tool for providing significant wave height. Traditionally, validation of SAR derived ocean wave height has been carried out against buoy measurements or model outputs, which only yield a inter-comparison, but not an 'absolute' validation. In this study, the triple collocation error model has been introduced in the validation of Envisat ASAR level 2 data. Significant wave height data from ASAR were validated against in situ buoy data, and wave model hindcast results from WaveWatch III, covering a period of six years. The impact of the collocation distance on the error of ASAR wave height was discussed. From the triple collocation validation analysis, it is found that the error of Envisat ASAR significant wave height product is linear to the collocation distance, and decrease with the decreasing collocation distance. Using the linear regression fit method, the absolute error of Envisat ASAR wave height was obtained with zero collocation distance. The absolute Envisat ASAR wave height error of 0.49m is presented in deep and open ocean from this triple collocation validation work.