Microwave scatterometry in support of space-borne scientific missions

The interpretation of satellite radar observations of the Earth´s surface requires models to link the observations to physical processes. These models require validation through surface measurements. This paper describes a mobile radar scatterometer designed to complement the vertical incidence measurements of satellite radar altimeters. The instrument has been successfully deployed in Antarctica and an Australian desert to make measurements contemporaneous with satellite observations. The key findings from these field experiments are briefly described and results which have implications for synthetic aperture radar studies of similar terrain are presented