NROSS scatterometer - An instrument for global oceanic wind observations

One of the instruments - the NROSS scatterometer or SCATT - to be launched on the Navy Remote Ocean Sensing System spacecraft in 1989 is discussed. To determine wind speed and direction that SCATT will measure the ocean normalized radar cross section (NRCS) by illuminating the ocean's surface with microwave pulses and measuring the return signal power. A wind retrieval algorithm is used to compute the wind speed and direction from the measured NRCS. Winds over at least 90 percent of the global, ice-free ocean will be observed at least once every two days. For NASA users, the system will retrieve winds with an accuracy of plus or minus 2 m/s or 10 percent whichever is greater, for wind speeds ranging from 3 to 30 m/s.