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Abstract

Satellite altimetry has evolved into a unique and operational geodetic remote sensing measurement system with multi-missions and multi-satellite constellations generating an unprecedented climate data record since 1993, which has fostered seminal research in interdisciplinary Earth sciences. Satellite altimetry is deemed to be operational and sustained, contributing to much geodesy and climate research into climate monitoring, meteorological and ocean circulation forecasting, vertical datum realization, maritime safety, ocean pollution tracking services, flood and water resources management, energy, and many others. The constellations of altimeter missions enable the generation of multi-decadal, continuous, and uniform geodetic and climate data records at unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution and accuracy. Innovative instrumentation has advanced from pulse-limited to Delay-Doppler (or SAR), KaRIn, ATLAS and spaceborne lidar altimeters, as well as to the recent exploitation of SoOP (Signals of Opportunity) satellite sources in bistatic radar enabled altimetry, including L-band GNSS-Reflectometry enabled altimetry, P-band and other radar band SoOP signal-enabled sensors/altimetry. Altimetry advances have offered significant opportunities and challenges to all scientific disciplines and applications, which could afford, more than ever, a need for the establishment of the International Altimetry Service (IAS) under the International Association of Geodesy (IAG).IAS aims to (1) establish IAG Service-Style Coordinating Board, Analysis and Data Centers, and (2) convene and establish formal dialogs with scientists and key technical curators of existing altimetry data product services.