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Radar Backscattering from the Turbulent Clear Atmosphere
Author(s) -
Ottersten Hans
Publication year - 1969
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/rs004i012p01251
Subject(s) - radar , refractive index , atmosphere (unit) , optics , refractometer , turbulence , physics , spectral index , wavelength , backscatter (email) , scattering , remote sensing , computational physics , diffuse sky radiation , spectral line , meteorology , geology , computer science , telecommunications , astronomy , wireless
Radar backscattering from the turbulent clear atmosphere is caused by irregular small‐scale fluctuations in the radio refractive index produced by turbulent mixing. This note considers the theoretical relationships between the refractive‐index microstructure and the back‐scattering at radar wavelengths from meters to centimeters. Spectral relationships are clarified and the basic difference between radar sampling and refractometer sampling of refractivity spectra is explained. Theoretical expressions are given for the relationship between the radar reflectivity and spectral representations of the refractive‐index variability for the general case, for the isotropic case, and for the inertial subrange.