Open AccessSea brightness temperature and effects of spray and whitecaps
Author(s) -
Barber R. P.,
Wu Jin
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: oceans
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/96jc03760
Subject(s) - wind speed , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , meteorology , brightness temperature , brightness , sea spray , geology , physics , aerosol , optics
Following the approach of Tang [1974], the microwave brightness of the sea surface is recalculated with recent parameterizations in terms of wind velocity for the slope distribution and whitecap coverage of the sea surface and the contribution of sea spray. The difference between this revised calculation with no free parameters and the earlier one becomes more significant as the wind velocity increases; it reaches 10 K or more at a wind velocity of 20 m s −1 . Present predictions compare favorably with experimental results, suggesting that this model does include the essential physical mechanisms.