Calibration results of multiple satellite altimetry missions from QianliYan permanent CAL/VAL facilities

The absolute in situ calibration of the altimeter missions could insure the regular and long-term control of the altimeter sea surface height (SSH) time series with independent measurements [1] . At present there are mainly four absolute calibration sites over the world, which have been providing absolute biases for multiple satellite altimeters from the T/P mission (1992–2005) to the Jason-3 mission launched in 2016. After HY-2A, launched in 2011 and stopped working in 16 March 2016, China has been planning to build two absolute calibration sites over the China north and south sea area. The Dangan Island, located at the South China Sea, and the QianliYan Island, located at the Yellow Sea in the north China sea area, have been chosen to be the calibration sites of Chinese satellite altimetry missions. The Dangan site aims to service the Chinese HY-2 altimetry series missions and is still under construction. However, beside the Chinese HY-2 missions the Qianliyan site could calibrate the international altimetry missions including the Jason series and Saral/AltiKa. In this paper the calibration methodology, data and models, and the absolute bias of HY-2A, Jason-2, and Saral/AltiKa based on the Qianliyan CAL/VAL site will be presented.