The objective of this study is to produce the CryoSat Product Handbook, a Radar Altimetry Tutorial (RAT) and an "Open Source" Basic Radar Altimetry Toolbox (BRAT), to make the use of altimetry data from several altimetry missions easier, for CNES and ESA joined.

CLS tasks:

The Radar Altimetry Tutorial and Basic Radar Altimetry Toolbox will benefit from the whole expertise of CLS in term of altimetry, data processing, user needs and outreach, and competences in the field of software development, as well as the support of the two agencies involved in space altimetry in Europe - ESA and CNES. In particular, they will profit from the Heracles project output, in terms of multi-mission data standardisation, documentation and output datasets The main objective of this activity is to produce:

• The ESA CryoSat Product Handbook (CSPH), based on input already developed for the Envisat RA2/MWR and input provided by MSSL (UK) to cover the CryoSat related fields (altimetry data products over ice, Cryosat altimeter specificities),

• A general Radar Altimetry Tutorial (RAT) taking into account 15 years of effort in education and public outreach on satellite altimetry, including web site, brochures, tutorials, lectures, etc.

• An "Open Source" Basic Radar Altimetry Toolbox (BRAT) able of handling several altimetry missions' data products, of performing advanced data processing, and of visualizing the data. This tool will ease the use of data altimeter from various altimetry missions, without dealing with heterogeneous formats. People with little altimetry knowledge will be able to use this box. The toolbox will be complete, with all the needed documentation and advanced processors needed for satellite altimetry scientific applications in any of the following research domains: cryospheric science, oceanography, marine meteorology, land process studies including hydrology and geodesy

Users: