Remote Sensing of Evaporation Ducts for Naval Warfare
Abstract
Areas critical to naval operations are the prediction and application of atmospheric refractivity gradients. This report describes the use of the evaporation duct over the ocean and a plan for obtaining information about the evaporation duct by space-borne sensors. There has been little research on the theory and modeling of lower atmospheric refractivity, particularly evaporation ducts over a nonhomogeneous ocean over the past five decades. Much is known about surface layer similarity theory and propagation model techniques, but little attention has been placed on the spatial variabilities in the turbulent propagation medium (such as the atmospheric surface layer) in regions of strategic Navy interest. These regions include the coastal shelf, Gulf Stream, marginal ice zone, and those places where sharp sea surface temperature fronts exist. For tomorrow's Navy, using remote sensing techniques to infer evaporative and tropospheric ducts are a requirement. Although research efforts on ducts must couple the tropospheric and surface layer components, this report summarizes the state of the art for the evaporative duct and assess the potential of new and future results on improving next generation naval warfare capabilities. Keywords: Sea surface temperature fronts; Evaporation ducting; Radar propagation; Marine atmospheres; Atmospheric refraction; Radar holes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 14, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA214849
Entities
People
- G. L. Geernaert
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory