The rain effect on Aquariusʹ L-band sea surface brightness temperature and radar backscatter

We analyze the surface emissivity and radar backscatter measured by the Aquarius L-band radiometer and scatterometer under rainy conditions. The residual signals due to rain are derived from measurements after accounting for roughness due to wind and flat surface emissivity. The wind roughness is accounted for by a geophysical model function (GMF) built using rain-free data. Using more than one year of Aquarius data collocated with SSMI/S, WindSAT rain rate and NCEP wind, our analysis reveals rain rate dependence in radar backscatter and surface emissivity, which become increasingly significant as the wind speed approaches zero and not significant above 15 m s− 1. The effect of rain on radar backscatter is dominated by raindrop splashing as indicated by the incidence angle dependence and polarization characteristics of the residuals.