CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - POSEIDON-1 (SSALT-1) -
Full Name Positioning Ocean Solid Earth Ice Dynamics Orbiting Navigator (Single frequency solid state radar altimeter) Status No longer operational
Instrument Agencies CNES Maturity
Instrument Type Radar altimeters Geometry Nadir-viewing
Instrument Technology Radar altimeter Sampling Sounding
Data Access Data Format
Measurements and Applications Nadir viewing sounding radar for provision of real-time high precision sea surface topography, ocean circulation and wave height data.
Resolution Summary Typical: 5 - 11 km
Swath Summary
Accuracy Summary
Waveband Summary KU-Band (13.575 GHz)
MW (~0.1 cm - ~100 cm)
Ku-Band (12.5 to 18 GHz)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
Ocean surface windsWind speed over sea surface (horizontal)
Ocean topography/currentsSea level
Ocean wave height and spectrumSignificant wave height
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Sea Level click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Sea State click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
Topex-Poseidon - Topographic Experiment/Poseidon (1992 - 2006)