Spaceborne polarimetric microwave radiometry and the Coriolis WindSat system

Author

Germain, K. M St ; Gaiser, P.W.

Author_Institution

Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA

Volume

5

fYear

2000

fDate

2000

Firstpage

159

Abstract

WindSat is a satellite-based multi-frequency polarimetric microwave radiometer being developed for the U.S. Navy and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite system (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office. WindSat is designed to test the viability of using polarimetric microwave radiometry to measure the ocean surface wind vector from space, and is the primary payload on the Air Force Coriolis satellite, which is scheduled to launch in December 2001. The WindSat radiometer operates in discrete bands at 6.8, 10.7, 18.7, 23.8, and 37.0 GHz. The 10.7, 18.7 and 37.0 GHz channels are fully polarimetric, while the 6.8 and 23.8 GHz channels an dual polarized only (vertical and horizontal). The spaceborne segment of the WindSat program has recently completed the Critical Design Review

Keywords

horn antennas; microwave imaging; multifrequency antennas; oceanographic techniques; offset reflector antennas; polarimetry; radiometers; radiometry; reflector antenna feeds; remote sensing; 6.8 to 37 GHz; Coriolis WindSat system; antenna subsystem; dual polarized channels; feed horns; multifrequency polarimetric microwave radiometer; ocean surface wind vector; offset parabolic antenna; satellite-based radiometer; spaceborne polarimetric microwave radiometry; Force measurement; Microwave measurements; Microwave radiometry; Oceans; Payloads; Polarization; Satellite broadcasting; Sea measurements; Sea surface; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Aerospace Conference Proceedings, 2000 IEEE

Conference_Location

Big Sky, MT

ISSN

1095-323X

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5846-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/AERO.2000.878485

Filename

878485