Nonlinear features in wave-resolving microwave radar observations of ocean waves

Transformation of sea-surface Doppler microwave backscatter observations from the space-time domain to the wavenumber-frequency domain separates linear wave energy from nonlinear effects. Here observations and modeling are used to investigate the sources of these nonlinearities. Wave breaking and electromagnetic shadowing are examined with emphasis on their relative effects both inside and outside the region of the wavenumber-frequency spectrum associated with the linear dispersion equation. Shadowing significantly reduces the variance levels within the linear spectral region. In addition, shadowing is less directly related to changes in variance outside this region, i.e., that region associated with nonlinearity in the wave field. Wave breaking has less of an effect on the variance within the linear region than shadowing. However, the modeled wave breaking does have a greater tendency to increase variance levels at frequencies less than that of the linear wave field, for any given wavenumber. Aliasing and emphasis of crest backscatter are also explored to explain features seen in some wavenumber-frequency intensity images. Two-dimensional data allow the linear wave spectrum to be separated from nonlinear effects. This results in improved wave height spectrum estimation