Observation of western boundary current atmospheric convergence zones using scatterometer winds

Accuracy of scatterometer-derived winds using the Cramer-Rao bound

A wind scatterometer makes measurements of the normalized radar-backscatter coefficient of the ocean surface. To retrieve the wind, a geophysical model function (GMF), which relates to the near-surface wind, is used. The wind vector can be estimated using maximum-likelihood techniques from several measurements made at different azimuth angles. The probability density of the measured is assumed ...

Spatial evaluations of ACCESS marine surface winds using scatterometer data

Marine wind estimates from numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems are an important input to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Bureau) forecast and warning services. They are also used as the forcing for downstream systems such as ocean and wave models. As such, it is important to maintain a knowledge of the expected accuracy of these products, as well as any systematic biases that may b...

The Wavenumber Spectra of Scatterometer-derived Winds

Spaceborne scatterometers are the only proven method for global all-weather measurement of vector winds at the ocean’s surface. Such measurements are critical inputs in studies of oceanic circulation and air/seainteraction where the time variability of the surface wind field and the wind stress curl drive the ocean; hence, our interest in the spectrum of the surface wind field. In this paper we...

Quality Control of Ku-band scatterometer winds

Mesoscale winds from the new ASCAT scatterometer

Introduction satellite based scatterometers provide high resolution all-weather wind vector fields over the seas. Wind speed and wind direction are provided at high accuracy under all weather conditions. The allweather EsA ERs scatterometer observations have proven its significant impact for the forecasting of fast developing and severe weather. Moreover, scatterometer wind fields are provided ...