An offset between scatterometer directional anisotropy and wind direction across the equatorial Pacific Ocean

The functional form usually employed for retrieving global winds constrains the cross-sectional maxima into lines parallel to the wind. The authors propose a generalized form allowing cross-section maxima offset from these streamlines. They fit parameters from these two models using collocated ERS-1 spacecraft scatterometer and equatorial buoy measurements. These models exhibit similar residuals but different directional dependencies for each of three years. Consequently, neither of these two models can convincing be identified as more accurate than the other when fit to extensive measurements unless other factors are considered. For example, the generalized model exhibits an average offset, near 10°, for each of these years lending confidence to the significance of this modeled offset. Equatorial swell systematically oriented at an angle to the local prevailing wind could cause this offset