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Sea Surface Salinity and Wind Retrieval Algorithm Using Combined Passive-Active L-Band Microwave DataAquarius is a combined passive/active L-band microwave instrument developed to map the salinity field at the surface of the ocean from space. The data will support studies of the coupling between ocean circulation, the global water cycle, and climate. The primary science objective of this mission is to monitor the seasonal and interannual variation of the large scale features of the surface salinity field in the open ocean with a spatial resolution of 150 kilometers and a retrieval accuracy of 0.2 practical salinity units globally on a monthly basis. The measurement principle is based on the response of the L-band (1.413 gigahertz) sea surface brightness temperatures (T (sub B)) to sea surface salinity. To achieve the required 0.2 practical salinity units accuracy, the impact of sea surface roughness (e.g. wind-generated ripples and waves) along with several factors on the observed brightness temperature has to be corrected to better than a few tenths of a degree Kelvin. To the end, Aquarius includes a scatterometer to help correct for this surface roughness effect.
Document ID
20150005800
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Yueh, Simon H.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Chaubell, Mario J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 17, 2015
Publication Date
July 24, 2011
Subject Category
Oceanography
Instrumentation And Photography
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Meeting Information
Meeting: IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Conference (IGARSS 2011)
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Country: Canada
Start Date: July 24, 2011
End Date: July 29, 2011
Sponsors: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, NASA Headquarters, National Inst. of Information and Communications Technology
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
ocean salinity
ocean winds

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