altimetry

[al-tim-i-tree]

noun

1. the science of measuring altitudes, as by altimeters.

altimetry

/ ˌæltɪˈmɛtrɪkəl, ælˈtɪmɪtrɪ /

noun

1. the science of measuring altitudes, as with an altimeter

Other Word Forms

• altimetrical adjective
• altimetrically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of altimetry¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; alti- + -metry

Example Sentences

"Our knowledge of subglacial lacustrine environments has hinged largely on satellite measurements and radar mapping," Bell said, noting that the under-ice Lake Vostok – first suggested by Soviet sounding studies in the 1950s and 1960s – was at last confirmed in 1993 using laser altimetry from the European Remote Sensing-1 satellite.

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Direct changes in ice elevation measured by altimetry satellites; and measurement of ice movements via satellite and thus how much ice streams change over time.

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"Altimetry satellites like CryoSat-2, which measure the distance to the iceberg surface and to the sea surface, allow us to monitor iceberg thickness from space," Dr Anne Braakmann-Folgmann, from the University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway, told BBC News.

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For the study, researchers applied what's known as Bayesian modeling to combine thousands of data points from three independent data sets -- from undersea cables, satellite altimetry, and in situ observations -- to determine the transport of water through the Florida Straits since 1982.

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Chandrayaan-3’s redundant altimetry is especially pertinent because of the role laser altimetry played during the failed April 25 touchdown of ispace’s first lunar lander.

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