Spectral characteristics of a microwave radar signal backscattered by the sea surface at small incidence angles

Abstract

We present a theoretical analysis of the Doppler-spectrum properties of a microwave radar signal scattered by the sea surface at small incidence angles. The dependences of Doppler-spectrum width and shift on the wind velocity and wave development stage and their azimuthal dependence are analyzed. The case of mixed sea (wind wave plus swell) is also considered. The JONSWAP spectrum model is used to describe sea waves. The study shows that Doppler-spectrum parameters are sensitive to variation of sea-surface state; for example, for the case of developed sea waves, an increase in wind velocity by 1 m/sec leads to increases in the Doppler-spectrum width and shift by 15 Hz and 3 Hz, respectively. It is shown that for the case of a moving radar the Doppler spectrum remains sensitive to variation of sea- surface state with a sufficiently narrow radar directivity pattern. Estimates show that in the case of a single sea- wave system on the surface, using Doppler-spectrum parameters we can, in principle, determine wave type (developing wind wave, developed wind wave, or swell), dominant wavelength, wave propagation direction, and wave height; wind velocity, direction, and acceleration distance can be determined for wind waves.