Results of a study on polarization mix selection for the NSCAT scatterometerThe NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) is an instrument designed to measure the radar backscatter of the ocean's surface for estimating the near-surface wind velocity. A given resolution element is observed from several different azimuth angles. From these measurements the near-surface vector wind over the ocean may be inferred using a geophysical model function relating the normalized radar backscatter coefficient (sigma0) to the near-surface wind. The results of a study to select a polarization mix for NSCAT using an end-to-end simulation of the NSCAT scatterometer and ground processing of the sigma0 measurements into unambiguous wind fields using a median-filter-based ambiguity-removal algorithm are presented. The system simulation was used to compare the wind measurement accuracy and ambiguity removal skill over a set of realistic mesoscale wind fields for various polarization mixes. Considerations in the analysis and simulation are discussed, and a recommended polarization mix is given.
Document ID
19910031149
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Long, David G. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Dunbar, R. Scott (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Shaffer, Scott (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Freilich, Michael H. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Hsiao, S. Vincent (JPL Pasadena, CA, United States)