Retrieval of Reflected Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) Signals for Earth Science Applications

This paper presents the results of a pilot study that provides an initial assessment of the applicability of reflected DBS signals for Earth remote sensing. The study uses off-the-self hardware and signals from a Dish Network satellite at 12 GHz (Ku-band) reflected from soil and water to characterize the power reflected from these surfaces. Power levels directly from the satellite are compared to the power levels obtained from reflections from the soil and water. It is shown that the power reflected from water reaches 54 % of the direct power. Conversely, the power reflected from the soil is shown to be within the noise floor of the off-the-shelf hardware. The high DBS reflected power from water, much stronger than that found in the already successful use of reflected GPS, gives rise to high expectations for oceanographic remote sensing applications.