Airborne SAR imagery of ocean surface waves obtained during LEWEX: some initial results

Author

Vachon, Paris W. ; Olsen, R.B. ; Livingstone, C.E. ; Freeman, Nelson G.

Author_Institution

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Ottawa, Ont., Canada

Volume

26

Issue

5

fYear

1988

fDate

9/1/1988 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

548

Lastpage

561

Abstract

The potential and the difficulties of using airborne synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) to study ocean surface waves are presented. Airborne C-band SAR imagery obtained with the real-time SAR processor on the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) Convair 580 during the Labrador Extreme Waves Experiment (LEWEX) shows waves propagating through the marginal ice zone as well as through open water regions. Examples are chosen to illustrate both coherent and noncoherent scene motion effects. Coherent scene motion effects include velocity bunching. acceleration defocus, and coherence time limitations. Noncoherent scene motion effects include scanning distortion and look misregistration. The slow platform velocity of airborne SAR precludes replication of spaceborne observations, largely due to coherent motion effects

Keywords

ocean waves; oceanographic techniques; radar applications; remote sensing; C-band; LEWEX; Labrador Extreme Waves Experiment; North Atlantic; acceleration defocus; airborne SAR imagery; coherent; look misregistration; measurement; noncoherent scene motion effects; ocean wave; radar remote sensing; scanning distortion; surface waves; synthetic-aperture radar; technique; velocity bunching; Airborne radar; Layout; Oceans; Radar imaging; Radar remote sensing; Remote sensing; Sea surface; Spaceborne radar; Surface waves; Synthetic aperture radar;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0196-2892

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/36.7680

Filename

7680