The polarization-dependent relation between radar backscatter from the ocean surface and surface wind vector at frequencies between 1 and 18 GHz

Abstract

A series of airborne scatterometer measurements carried out with the DUTSCAT multifrequency airborne scatterometer are discussed. This study deals with the first results obtained from the analysis of these measurements. The objective of this activity is to establish a multifrequency dual-polarization radar signature database, and with it a multidimensional version of the current CMOD1 model. The main features of the data set are the following. The wind exponent of the upwind normalized radar cross section (NRCS) increases with frequency and incidence angle in the case of HH polarization. The upwind/downwind ratio is mainly negative at 20 degrees of incidence angle, always at C-, X-, and Ku1-bands. >