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Global satellite measurements of water vapour, wind speed and wave heightThe results of global measurements of atmospheric water vapor by the Seasat Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer and wave height and wind speed by the Seasat altimeter (ALT) are reported. The 13.5 GHz ALT has a 3.125 ns pulsewidth and 1022 Hz repetition rate, and measures surface height to a resolution exceeding 10 cm celative to a reference ellipsoid. Full ALT data comprise 135 km equatorial groundtracks, with about a 50 cm difference of sea wave height compared to buoy reference measurements, and windspeed accuracy to within 0.25-1.58 m/sec up to 20 m/sec. Highest water vapor concentrations were observed in the tropics and the lowest at high latitudes. Wind speeds were highest for the north-east and south-east tradewinds in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Average wave height is small in the summer North Hemisphere and the largest waves are in the winter Southern ocean, and lowest in western Atlantic and Pacific ocean areas where winds are lightest.
Document ID
19820033630
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Chelton, D. B.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Hussey, K. J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Parke, M. E.
(California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
December 10, 1981
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Volume: 294
Subject Category
Oceanography
Accession Number
82A17165
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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