Statistical characterization of radar sea scatter for breaking wave detection

• Published in: 2007 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium pp. 3517 - 3520
• Main Authors: Hwang, P.A., Sletten, M.A., Toporkov, J.V.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-07-2007
• Subjects: Backscatter; breaking wave; Coherence; Doppler radar; Frequency; low grazing angle; mixed sea; Oceans; Poles and towers; Probability density function; radar backscatter; Radar detection; Radar scattering; sea spikes; Statistical analysis
• ISBN: 9781424412112; 1424412110
• ISSN: 2153-6996; 2153-7003
• DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS.2007.4423604

Radar backscatter data are collected using a coherent, dual-polarized radar from a fixed tower in the ocean. Statistical analysis is performed to investigate the 1D and 2D probability density functions of backscatter intensity, Doppler frequency, coherence function and polarization ratio. The fraction of sea spike coverage generally increases with wind speed but the trend of increase is modified by the intensity of background swell condition. Parameterizations of sea spike coverage combining both wind and wave factors show some apparent advantage than parameterizations with wind or wave factors alone.