Sea Surface Height

The sea surface height (SSH) or height of the ocean surface is affected by tidal forces, ocean circulation and variations in the gravitational field. The daily variation from the mean sea surface height is the sea surface height anomaly (SSHa), which is observed by satellite altimeters. The observations from multiple altimetry satellites are merged into daily gridded data maps (historical data maps). Robert Leben ( leben@colorado.edu) from the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR) produces these gridded data maps. For convenience purposes, the daily data fields were combined into yearly data files ranging from 2004 through present. Click on link for the corresponding year to download the data file or to view an animation of the data.

For more information and to see which other years are available, visit the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR) or contact Robert Leben ( leben@colorado.edu).