The effects of water temperature on radar scattering from the water surface: An X-band laboratory study

Quanan Zheng, Xiao Hai Yan, Norden E. Huang, Vic Klemas, Jiayi Pan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The surface tension is a restoring force, the viscosity is a dissipative resistance for microwave scattering gravity-capillary waves on the ocean surface. Both the surface tension and viscosity are water temperature dependent; therefore, it is reasonable to expect the surface wave spectral density in the centimeter range to be temperature dependent. Bragg scatter is wave intensity dependent; therefore, the radar cross section of the ocean surface should also be temperature dependent. In order to verify this inference, a laboratory experiment for X-band backscattering from a rough water surface with varied water temperature was conducted in the absence of wind. Our data show a monotonic increase of the radar cross section with the water temperature. Based on our data, a semi-analytic model is proposed to relate the water surface temperature and the Normalized Radar Cross Section (NRCS) of the water surface as follows: Δσ0(T)(dB) = 0.24ΔT The semi-analytical model can be used to improve the scatterometer wind algorithm as well as SAR image interpretation, in general.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)273-294
Number of pages22
JournalGlobal Atmosphere and Ocean System
Volume5
Issue number3
StatePublished - 1997

Keywords

  • Effects of water temperature
  • Radar scattering
  • X-band

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