Passive remote sensing of oceanic whitecaps: Updated geophysical model function

• Published in: 2017 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) pp. 418 - 420
• Main Authors: Anguelova, M. D., Bettenhausen, M. H., Johnston, W. F., Gaiser, P. W.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-07-2017
• Subjects: air-sea intercation; Atmospheric modeling; breaking waves; brightness temperature; Input variables; Ocean temperature; passive remote sensing; Rough surfaces; Sea surface; Surface roughness; whitecap fraction
• ISSN: 2153-7003
• DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS.2017.8126983

Satellite-based estimates of whitecap fraction W provide consistent global, long-term data useful to quantify air-sea processes. Our first algorithm providing satellite-based W data uses passive microwave observations from WindSat at low spatial resolution, early version of the WindSat geophysical model function (GMF) for surface emissivity and the atmosphere, and input variables from various sources. This algorithm has been recently updated with new input data and the latest versions of the WindSat GMF to produce W data at higher spatial resolution. The updated algorithm yields improved W data as they show consistency at different microwave frequencies and expected threshold behavior at all frequencies.