Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer for Airborne Microwave Imaging Studies

Abstract

A multiband microwave polarimetric scanning radiometer (PSR) has been constructed for airborne observations from the NASA DC-8 airborne platform. The primary application of the PSR is the development of optimal spaceborne bard ware configurations and retrieval algorithms for passive wind. vector sensing over the ocean surface. Four radiometers, operating at 10.7, 18.7, 37, and 89 GHz, each measure the first three modified Stokes' parameters (T(sub upsilon), T(sub h), and T(sub u). A gimbaled mechanism allows observations at any incident angle within a cone of 700 half angle around nadir. The PSR's four radiometers and two axis scanning capability will provide unique polarimetric data for microwave emission studies of both ocean and land surfaces, as well as atmospheric clouds and precipitation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1996
Accession Number
ADA366023

Entities

People

  • A. J. Gasiewski
  • Jeffrey R. Piepmeier

Organizations

  • Georgia Tech

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Airborne
  • Aircrafts
  • Bandwidth
  • Calibration
  • Correlators
  • Data Acquisition
  • Detectors
  • High Resolution
  • Low Temperature
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Microwave Frequency
  • Radiometers
  • Remote Sensing
  • Slip Rings
  • Standards
  • W Band

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science
  • Physics

Readers

  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Radar Systems Engineering.