An algorithm to assess the accuracy of NASA Scatterometer data

A simple wind field model can be used to evaluate the accuracy of pointwise ambiguity removal for NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) data. Errors in pointwise ambiguity removal result in large model-fit errors when the pointwise wind estimates are assimilated into the model. By thresholding the error, regions containing ambiguity removal error can be identified. For many of these regions, the ambiguity selection can be improved using the model-fit field. The authors have developed a new automated algorithm for evaluating the quality of the pointwise ambiguity selection and for correcting the ambiguity selection. This paper presents this correction algorithm, which is generally applicable to other scatterometers, and the results for NSCAT data