ABYSS - A bathymetric altimeter for the International Space Station

† Copyright © 2001 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. Under the copyright claimed herein, the U. S. Government has a royalty-free license to exercise all rights of use in future works of their own; and JHU/APL reserves the right to make copies for its own use, but not for sale. All other rights are reserved by the copyright owner. ABSTRACT ABYSS (Altimetric BathymetrY from Surface Slopes) will map the ocean floor 100 times faster and cheaper than ships can, by using a state-of-the-art delay-Doppler radar altimeter on board the International Space Station. The ISS orbit is nearly ideal for this application, and the advanced altimeter is tolerant of platform motions. The altimeter can see subtle tilts in the ocean surface caused by seafloor topography. Bathymetric depth and roughness control the circulation and mixing of heat through the ocean, which in turn controls climate. Only 0.1% of the deep ocean has been mapped in enough detail so far. ABYSS will complete this survey over 80% of the world’s oceans.

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