Initial results from the deployment of an ultra-wide band scatterometer

An ultra-wide band scatterometer (Y-Scat) has been developed to support tower based studies of the air-sea interface. These studies are designed to improve the present understanding of the relationship between the normalized radar cross section (σ⁰), local wind speed, wave height, and wave slope. The scatterometer utilizes an ultra-wide band design (2-18 GHz), which provides complete and essentially simultaneous coverage over this frequency band. The antenna system used on Y-Scat is designed to produce a frequency independent illumination pattern over this operating range. The positioning system allows the radar to rotate 360° in azimuth and from nadir to above horizontal in elevation. The system also includes an integral weather station which collects relevant environmental data. Preliminary analysis of results obtained from initial engineering deployments are used to study the dependence of the wind exponent on Bragg wavelength.