Analysis of Microwave Backscattering from Nonlinear Sea Surface with Currents

Abstract

Electromagnetic scattering from sea surface is of great significance in radar detection, target recognition, ocean remote sensing, etc. A novel scattering model of nonlinear sea surface with currents is presented in this paper. Based on the capillary wave modification facet scattering model (CWMFSM), the backscattering characteristics of the nonlinear sea surface with currents is investigated. The model considers the modulation of the surface current on the wave spectrum and the weak nonlinear effect between the waves. The dependence of backscattering coefficient from nonlinear sea surface on the incident angle and the polarization are discussed. The results verify that the nonlinear model is more consistent with the measurement data. This paper also investigates the Doppler spectrum characteristics of sea with currents. It is found that nonlinear model with currents makes the broadening effect of the backscattering Doppler spectrum weak.