Dual polarized low grazing angle radar sea scatter results from the High-Res ARI experiment

Shipboard radar experiments were conducted during the High Resolution NRL/ONR ARI main experiment on radar scatter from submesoscale surface features, such as internal gravity waves and surface convergence frontal rips. An X-band dual polarized radar was scanned each minute, collecting successive images over 360° in azimuth while the ship was underway. The authors present results showing striking differences between horizontal and vertical scatter from the submesoscale surface features versus the ambient sea echo, and suggest a new scattering model based on Brewster angle damping to explain the results