Polarimetric radiometer sensing of sea surface friction velocity

The coincident measurements of the X-band radar scatterometer and the 37 GHz polarimetric radiometer during the COPE Experiment (Sept-Oct´95) and the Labrador Sea Experiment (which was coincident with NSCAT measurements during the Winter of 1997) were used to determine the dependence of the radiometers´ azimuthal signature on friction velocity (and incidence angle). The radar cross section measurement provides the in-situ sensing of surface winds and stress (friction velocity). The scatterometer radar cross section can be converted into friction velocity using algorithms for Ku-band, X-band and C-band measurements. The azimuthal signatures of the 37 GHz Stokes vectors are being analyzed to study the dependence of the 2nd and 3rd harmonic coefficients on incidence angle, wind speed and friction velocity