Τhe “GPS/GNSS on Boat” Technique for the Determination of the Sea Surface Topography and Geoid: A Critical Review

Abstract

The opening up of the global positioning system (GPS) for non-military uses provided a new impetus for the study of the sea surface topography (SST) and geoid, especially in coastal areas which are important from the viewpoint of the climate crisis. The application of the “GPS/GNSS on boat” method, as an alternative to traditional (indirect and direct) methods, has provided detailed SST maps in coastal and oceanic areas with an accuracy of up to few centimeters. In this work we present the first critical review concerning the evolution of the “GPS/GNSS on boat” method over a period of 27 years. Twenty-one papers, covering the 27 years of related research, are critically reviewed, focusing on the innovations they introduce, the solutions they present and the accuracy they achieve. Further improvement of the method, principally of its accuracy, and the extension of SST measurements to additional coastal environments open new perspectives for the examination of open geophysical problems and climate change.

Badanie geoidy i topografii morskiej w lagunach

“…Based on the method we have developed in the past [11][12]15] and using the well-known error transmission law, an accuracy of 1.3 cm was obtained for the mean SST in the lagoon area. This accuracy may be less than the goal we had set, i.e.…”

“…For the last 27 years the "GPS/GNSS on boat" method has been used to determine sea surface topography (SST) [1]. The determination of sea surface heights (SSH) relative to a reference ellipsoid is one of the problems attracting modern research interest.…”

“…The determination of sea surface heights (SSH) relative to a reference ellipsoid is one of the problems attracting modern research interest. The evolution of the method has led it to be applied in many different environments, from coastal areas [2][3][4], open oceans [5][6], to closed seas and river deltas [7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

“…During these 27 years of developments since its first application, the method's accuracy and methodology have improved significantly [1], from the use of a GPS receiver on a buoy [3] to the use of an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) [13]. At the same time, several GNSS methods have been used [11] but the method has also been employed combined with other instruments [13].…”

“…At the same time, several GNSS methods have been used [11] but the method has also been employed combined with other instruments [13]. All of the above have led to the claim that the method achieves accuracy in the determination of Sea Surface Topography to the order of 2-3 cm [1,12].…”