Airborne radar measurements of ocean wave spectra and wind speed during the grand banks ERS‐1 SAR wave experiment

Abstract

Abstract Measurements of ocean directional wave spectra, significant wave height, and wind speed over the Grand Banks of Newfoundland were made using the combined capabilities of the radar ocean wave spectrometer (ROWS) and scanning radar altimeter (SRA). The instruments were flown aboard the NASA P‐3A aircraft in support of the Grand Banks ERS‐1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Wave Experiment. The NASA sensors use proven techniques, which differ greatly from SAR, for estimating the directional long‐wave spectrum; thus they provide a unique set of measurements for use in evaluating SAR performance. ROWS and SRA data are combined with spectra from the SAR aboard the Canadian Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) CV‐580 aircraft, the first‐generation Canadian Spectral Ocean Wave Model (CSOWM) hindcast, and other available in situ measurements to assess the ERS‐1 SAR's ability to correctly resolve wave field components along a 200‐ to 300‐km flight line for four separate satellite passes. Given the complex seas pr...