Investigation of sea surface temperature and wind fields in Joint US/Russia Internal Waves Remote Sensing Experiment

The results of the Joint US/Russia Internal Wave Remote Sensing Experiment (JUSREX) are presented. Russian research aircraft TU-134 equipped with both optical and microwave instruments participated in the experiment. In situ data were obtained from "Ac.Ioffe" research vessel equipped with contact and remote sensing instruments. To determine surface wind speed and direction by means of passive microwave polarimetry, the polarizational anisotropy effect was used. Sea surface temperature was determined by means of an S-band radiometer. The brightness temperature and wind vector data were related to true surface data. The standard deviation for wind speed was 0.55 m/s, wind direction 7°, sea surface temperature 0.43°C. Anisotropy versus wind speed dependence under unstable atmospheric stratification was noted to be approximately two times more than under stable or neutral conditions. Wind and temperature fields retrieved from radiometer data are compared with side-looking radar images. The paper concludes with the statement that combined analysis of passive and active microwave instruments data significantly improves understanding of ocean-atmosphere interaction.