Measurement of Ocean Surface Winds Using Synthetic Aperture Radars

Abstract

A methodology for retrieving high resolution surface wind fields from satellite borne synthetic aperture SAR) data is introduced and validated. The algorithms developed are suited for ocean SAR data, which were acquired band of either vertical (VV) or horizontal (HH) polarization transmission and reception. Wind directions are extracted from wind induced streaks that are visible in SAR images ocean at scales above 200 m. These wind streaks are well aligned with the mean surface wind direction. To extract orientation of these streaks two algorithms are introduced, which are applied either in the spatial or spectral domain.