S6-JTEX is an ESA-funded project that aims to detect, characterise, mitigate and exploit differences, discrepancies and measurement features that are contained in the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (S6-MF) Level 1 and Level 2 data products. S6-JTEX demonstrates the performance of the S6-MF data through scientific exploitation of the mission during the tandem phase with Jason-3.

The project consists of several scientific studies ranging from innovative processing of S6-MF and Jason-3 data to potential new products and applications. The overall common goal is to perform a comprehensive comparative analysis of the two missions.

Within the project, DGFI-TUM is responsible for the coastal assessment study, which will provide an internal comparison of the coastal performances of S6-MF in its different operational modes (LRM, SAR-RAW and SAR-RMC) and Jason-3. The performances will be evaluated in terms of retrieval of range and significant wave height. In addition, with a view to comparing the products of the two missions, the consistency of the relevant geophysical corrections (i.e. radiometer correction, dual frequency ionosphere, sea state bias) will be reviewed. All statistics refer to the 20-km limit from the global coastline, i.e. the area where the general performance of satellite altimetry data is usually considered to be degraded.