Jason-3 GPS Orbit and Sea Surface Height Anomalies OGDR

A near real time dataset providing GPS-based orbit and Sea Surface Height Anomalies (SSHA) from the Jason-3 satellite. It is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and includes GPS orbit and SSHA as two additional variables beyond the standard Operation Geophysical Data Record. The dataset has a 5-hour time lag due to orbit calculation and transitioned to processing baseline 'G' in January 2025.

Use Cases

• Monitoring sea level rise and ocean circulation patterns based on Sea Surface Height Anomalies.
• Validating and improving near real time satellite orbit models based on GPS orbit data.
• Assessing ocean wave heights and surface topography for operational oceanography.
• Comparing the accuracy of GPS-derived orbits against DORIS orbits for satellite positioning.

Strengths

• GPS orbits are described as more accurate than DORIS orbits on a near real time scale.
• Includes two additional variables (GPS orbit and SSHA) compared to the standard OGDR.
• Processing baseline was updated to version 'G' in January 2025, indicating ongoing refinement.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Satellite altimetry data from the Jason-3 mission, processed to include GPS orbit and SSHA.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 01:30:51.605465; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global ocean coverage.