fold faq Does sea state influence the measurement of the satellite-sea surface range?
Sea state influences the measurement of the satellite-sea surface range because the altimeter is sensitive to sea surface elements perpendicular to the target line. These elements are more frequently in the wave trough than in the crest, so the mean height of these elements doesn’t match the geometric mean height of all sea surface elements that make the mean sea level (electromagnetic bias). In this way, the altimetric-measured mean is shifted toward wave trough, and moreover if waves are high.
