Development and Evaluation of New Algorithms for the Retrieval of Wind and Internal Wave Parameters from Shipborne Marine Radar Data

Abstract

The goal of this work is to develop and evaluate techniques for the retrieval of wind and internal wave (IW) information from marine X-band radar data. While ocean wind measurements are crucial for the transfer of energy and momentum across the air-sea interface, IWs play an important role in tidal energy transport. Marine radars work by transmitting microwave energy from a rotating antenna that also measures the backscatter. The radar backscatter from the sea surface is controlled by the wind-generated small ripple waves through the Bragg-scattering mechanism. Surface winds are thus the dominant factor for generating the radar backscatter. The varying surface current fields associated with IWs interact with the ripples, generating rough convergent and smooth divergent zones. Radars are capable of imaging such IW-induced surface signatures as bands of enhanced and weakened backscatter.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA572802

Entities

People

  • Björn Lund

Organizations

  • University of Miami

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Backscattering
  • Bragg Scattering
  • Detectors
  • Doppler Effect
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Electromagnetic Scattering
  • Frequency
  • Internal Waves
  • Measurement
  • Radar
  • Remote Sensing
  • Repetition Rate
  • Scattering
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar
  • Tidal Power
  • X Band

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Radar Systems Engineering.