Title :
Calibration of SARAL/AltiKa Wind Speed
Author_Institution :
Eur. Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, UK
Abstract :
Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa (SARAL)/AltiKa is the first oceanographic radar altimeter that operates in Ka-band which is very sensitive to the atmospheric factors like liquid water and water vapor. An empirical recipe is proposed to partially compensate for this impact for the purpose of ocean surface wind speed (SWS) evaluation. The results compare well with numerical prediction model fields and in situ measurements. SARAL SWS computed using the proposed recipe shows very low bias (below 0.4 m/s). The random error at a scale of 75 km is estimated at about 1.0 m/s, which is very close to that of the Ku-band altimeters.
Keywords :
atmospheric electromagnetic wave propagation; atmospheric humidity; atmospheric optics; calibration; oceanographic equipment; oceanographic techniques; radar altimetry; radiowave propagation; remote sensing by radar; spaceborne radar; wind; Ka-band operation; SARAL SWS; SARAL-AltiKa wind speed calibration; Satellite with Argos and AltiKa; atmospheric factors; atmospheric liquid water; atmospheric water vapor; ocean SWS evaluation; ocean surface wind speed; oceanographic radar altimeter; Atmospheric measurements; Atmospheric modeling; Backscatter; Computational modeling; Radar; Sea measurements; Wind speed; AltiKa; Ka-band; Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa (SARAL); backscatter; radar altimeter (RA); wind speed;
Journal_Title :
Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LGRS.2013.2287805
