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Airborne measurements of the ocean radar cross section at 5.3 GHz as a function of wind speed
Author(s) -
Feindt Folkart,
Wismann Volkmar,
Alpers Werner,
Keller William C.
Publication year - 1986
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/rs021i005p00845
Subject(s) - scatterometer , crosswind , wind speed , radar , radar cross section , remote sensing , meteorology , wind direction , ku band , c band , environmental science , geology , physics , optics , computer science , telecommunications
Measurements of the normalized radar cross section (NRCS) at 5.3 GHz (C band) of the sea surface as a function of wind speed and direction are presented. The data were obtained by a coherent scatterometer mounted on a small two‐engine airplane performing circle flights over the Atlantic. Our data show that the wind speed exponent at 5.3 GHz is typically 20% smaller than at 13.9 GHz ( Ku band). Furthermore, the upwind/crosswind ratio of the NRCSs at C band is typically 20% smaller, and the upwind/downwind ratio typically 30% smaller than at K u band.