Comparison of WindSat and buoy-measured ocean products from 2004 to 2013

Abstract

To evaluate the ocean surface wind vector and the sea surface temperature obtained from WindSat, we compare these quantities over the time period from January 2004 to December 2013 with moored buoy measurements. The mean bias between the WindSat wind speed and the buoy wind speed is low for the low frequency wind speed product (WSPD_LF), ranging from–0.07 to 0.08 m/s in different selected areas. The overall RMS error is 0.98 m/s for WSPD_LF, ranging from 0.82 to 1.16 m/s in different selected regions. The wind speed retrieval result in the tropical Ocean is better than that of the coastal and offshore waters of the United States. In addition, the wind speed retrieval accuracy of WSPD_LF is better than that of the medium frequency wind speed product. The crosstalk analysis indicates that the WindSat wind speed retrieval contains some cross influences from the other geophysical parameters, such as sea surface temperature, water vapor and cloud liquid water. The mean bias between the WindSat wind direction and the buoy wind direction ranges from–0.46° to 1.19° in different selected regions. The overall RMS error is 19.59° when the wind speed is greater than 6 m/s. Measurements of the tropical ocean region have a better accuracy than those of the US west and east coasts. Very good agreement is obtained between sea surface temperatures of WindSat and buoy measurements in the tropical Pacific Ocean; the overall RMS error is only 0.36°C, and the retrieval accuracy of the low latitudes is better than that of the middle and high latitudes.