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Estimates of oceanic surface wind speed and direction using orthogonal beam scatterometer measurements and comparison of recent sea scattering theoriesThe wind direction properties of radar backscatter from the sea were empirically modelled using a cosine Fourier series through the 4th harmonic in wind direction (referenced to upwind). A comparison with 1975 JONSWAP (Joint North Sea Wave Project) scatterometer data, at incidence angles of 40 and 65, indicates that effects to third and fourth harmonics are negligible. Another important result is that the Fourier coefficients through the second harmonic are related to wind speed by a power law expression. A technique is also proposed to estimate the wind speed and direction over the ocean from two orthogonal scattering measurements. A comparison between two different types of sea scatter theories, one type presented by the work of Wright and the other by that of Chan and Fung, was made with recent scatterometer measurements. It demonstrates that a complete scattering model must include some provisions for the anisotropic characteristics of the sea scatter, and use a sea spectrum which depends upon wind speed.
Document ID
19780022531
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Moore, R. K.
(Kansas Univ. Center for Research, Inc. Lawrence, KS, United States)
Fung, A. K.
(Kansas Univ. Center for Research, Inc. Lawrence, KS, United States)
Dome, G. J.
(Kansas Univ. Center for Research, Inc. Lawrence, KS, United States)
Birrer, I. J.
(Kansas Univ. Center for Research, Inc. Lawrence, KS, United States)
Date Acquired
September 3, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1978
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-158908
TR-186-17
Accession Number
78N30474
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-10048
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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