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What are the mechanisms for non‐Bragg scattering from water wave surfaces?
Author(s) -
Lee P. H. Y.,
Barter J. D.,
Beach K. L.,
Lake B. M.,
Rungaldier H.,
Thompson H. R.,
Wang L.,
Yee R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/1998rs900024
Subject(s) - scattering , bragg's law , multipath interference , optics , microwave , surface roughness , fetch , breaking wave , physics , interference (communication) , backscatter (email) , bragg peak , multipath propagation , materials science , computational physics , wave propagation , telecommunications , geology , diffraction , computer science , channel (broadcasting) , wireless , oceanography , beam (structure) , quantum mechanics
Experimental data obtained in the past several years have provided conclusive evidence that non‐Bragg scattering plays a major role in X‐band microwave backscatter from water wave surfaces, and non‐Bragg scattering events are especially noticeable at small grazing angles, for wind‐roughened surfaces, in the presence of breaking waves. We have conducted scattering experiments under a variety of wind wave conditions in an attempt to determine the different mechanisms which contribute to non‐Bragg scattering. At small grazing angles we find that non‐Bragg scattering is due to fast scatterers generated by the wave breaking, and with increasing wave steepness and surface roughness, mechanisms of multiple scattering and multipath interference become increasingly important.