The effect of microwave frequency on the altimeter response to surface wave fields

Abstract:

A study is made of the influence of the effect of nonlinear hydrodynamic interactions between waves of close and very different wavelengths on the altimeter response from the sea. The work of J. Poitevin et al. (1990) is extended by taking into account the dependence of the backscattering coefficients on the radar frequency. The nonlinear evolution of water wave fields obtained by numerical computations from the equations given by B. J. West (1982), including surface tension and viscosity, is coupled with a deterministic mathematical model for microwave reflection, taking into account the radar frequency and the curvature of the surface. As a main result it is shown that the dependence of the backscattering coefficients on the radar frequency is due to the strong nonlinear hydrodynamics interactions.

Año de publicación:

1991

Keywords:

Fuente:

scopus