Very low grazing angle radar backscatter from the ocean surface

Author

Helmken, Henry ; Vanderhill, Matthew

Author_Institution

MIT Lincoln Lab., Lexington, MA, USA

fYear

1990

fDate

7-10 May 1990

Firstpage

181

Lastpage

188

Abstract

A very low grazing angle (<0.2°) sea clutter measurements program was conducted with the L- and S-band TRADEX and C-band ALCOR radars on Roi Namur, Marshall Islands. Clutter returns were observed to the maximum measurement range of 60 km. L -band data could be explained by diffraction over a spherical Earth, but at the higher frequencies ducting was in clear evidence. The average high-amplitude return, associated with sea spikes, persisted on the order of 3 s. The probability density function followed a lognormal, rather than Weibull, distribution. The fact that coherent spectral analyses could be made to a 60 km range, well beyond the horizon, supports a coherent duct model

Keywords

backscatter; ocean waves; oceanographic techniques; radar applications; radar clutter; radar cross-sections; 60 km; ALCOR radar; C-band; L-band; Marshall Islands; Pacific Ocean; Roi Namur; S-band; TRADEX radar; average high-amplitude return; clutter returns; coherent duct model; coherent spectral analyses; diffraction; ducting; lognormal distribution; ocean surface; probability density function; radar backscatter; sea clutter measurements; sea spikes; very low grazing angle; Backscatter; Diffraction; Earth; Frequency; Oceans; Probability density function; Radar clutter; Radar measurements; Sea measurements; Sea surface;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Radar Conference, 1990., Record of the IEEE 1990 International

Conference_Location

Arlington, VA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/RADAR.1990.201159

Filename

201159