Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/inversion.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/inversion.py	(revision 18608)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/inversion.py	(revision 18609)
@@ -33,4 +33,5 @@
 		self.vel_obs                     = float('NaN')
 		self.thickness_obs               = float('NaN')
+		self.surface_obs                 = float('NaN')
 
 		#set defaults
@@ -56,4 +57,5 @@
 		string="%s\n%s"%(string,fielddisplay(self,'vel_obs','observed velocity magnitude [m/yr]'))
 		string="%s\n%s"%(string,fielddisplay(self,'thickness_obs','observed thickness [m]'))
+		string="%s\n%s"%(string,fielddisplay(self,'surface_obs','observed surface elevation [m]'))
 		string="%s\n%s"%(string,'Available cost functions:')
 		string="%s\n%s"%(string,'   101: SurfaceAbsVelMisfit')
@@ -161,4 +163,5 @@
 		WriteData(fid,'object',self,'fieldname','vz_obs','format','DoubleMat','mattype',1,'scale',1./yts)
 		WriteData(fid,'object',self,'fieldname','thickness_obs','format','DoubleMat','mattype',1)
+		WriteData(fid,'object',self,'fieldname','surface_obs','format','DoubleMat','mattype',1)
 
 		#process control parameters