Articles | Volume 20, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-1745-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-1745-2026
Research article
 | 
24 Mar 2026
Research article |  | 24 Mar 2026

Assessment of Sentinel-3 altimeter performance over Antarctica using high resolution digital elevation models

Joe Phillips and Malcolm McMillan

Model code and software

Joe-Phillips/Slope-and-Roughness-from-DEMs: v1.0.0 - Slope and Roughness from DEMs (v1.0.0) J. Phillips https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18957953

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Short summary
This study explores how well the Sentinel-3 satellites measure Antarctic ice sheet elevation, using new detailed maps of slopes and roughness created using the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica. We found that while the satellites tend to perform well over smoother terrain, they can struggle over more complex surfaces. These findings can improve how we track ice sheet changes and guide future satellite missions, helping us better understand the impact of climate change on polar regions.
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