Ocean wave‐radar modulation transfer functions from the West Coast Experiment

Abstract

Short gravity‐capillary waves, the equilibrium, or the steady state excitations of the ocean surface are modulated by longer ocean waves. These short waves are the predominant microwave scatterers on the ocean surface under many viewing conditions so that the modulation is readily measured with CW Doppler radar used as a two‐scale wave probe. Modulation transfer functions (the ratio of the cross spectrum of the line‐of‐sight orbital speed and backscattered microwave power to the autospectrum of the line‐of‐sight orbital speed) were measured at 9.375 and 1.5 GHz (Bragg wavelengths of 2.3 and 13 cm) for winds up to 10 m/s and ocean wave periods from 2–18 s. The measurements were compared with the relaxation‐time model; the principal result is that a source of modulation other than straining by the horizontal component of orbital speed, possibly the wave‐induced airflow, is responsible for most of the modulation by waves of typical ocean wave period (10 s, say). The modulations are large; for unit coherence, spectra of radar images of deep‐water waves should be proportional to the quotient of the slope spectra of the ocean waves by the ocean wave frequency.