# Joint calibration and mapping of satellite altimetry data using trainable variational models

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.03405 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.03405/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 5 of its 30 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 7 Oct 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 5 of 5)

- [Adam: A Method for Stochastic Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.6980/) (2014)
- [An Image is Worth 16x16 Words: Transformers for Image Recognition at Scale](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.11929/) (2020)
- [Combining data assimilation and machine learning to emulate a dynamical model from sparse and noisy observations: a case study with the Lorenz 96 model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.01520/) (2020)
- [Learning Variational Data Assimilation Models and Solvers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2007.12941/) (2020)
- [Attention-based Convolutional Autoencoders for 3D-Variational Data Assimilation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.02121/) (2021)

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Inversion of sea surface currents from satellite-derived SST-SSH synergies with 4DVarNets](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.13059/) (2022)
- [Scale-aware neural calibration for wide swath altimetry observations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.04497/) (2023)
- [Simulation-informed deep learning for enhanced SWOT observations of fine-scale ocean dynamics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.21303/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Satellite radar altimeters are a key source of observation of ocean surface dynamics. However, current sensor technology and mapping techniques do not yet allow to systematically resolve scales smaller than 100km. With their new sensors, upcoming wide-swath altimeter missions such as SWOT should help resolve finer scales. Current mapping techniques rely on the quality of the input data, which is why the raw data go through multiple preprocessing stages before being used. Those calibration stages are improved and refined over many years and represent a challenge when a new type of sensor start acquiring data. Here we show how a data-driven variational data assimilation framework could be used to jointly learn a calibration operator and an interpolator from non-calibrated data . The proposed framework significantly outperforms the operational state-of-the-art mapping pipeline and truly benefits from wide-swath data to resolve finer scales on the global map as well as in the SWOT sensor geometry.