Theoretical Model of SAR Altimeter over Water Surfaces

This paper provides a brief overview of the objectives and methodology of the ESA funded project SAMOSA: "Development of SAR Altimetry Studies and Applications over Ocean, Coastal zones and Inland waters", and mainly concentrates on the development of a theoretical model for the mean return echo from a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) altimeter (also know as a delay doppler altimeter or DDA) observations over water surfaces, in the same spirit set by conventional altimeters.