Use of ERS-1 wind scatterometer data over land surfaces

The capability of ERS-1 wind scatterometer (WSC) data for land surface studies at regional and global scales is investigated. Calibrated data, available since April 1992, consist of backscattering coefficient σ° values estimated over a 50 km ground resolution cell within a 18-59° incidence range. The WSC covers latitudes between 80°S and 85°N. Data quality is investigated. Results show a good radiometric stability throughout a two-year period (April 1992-March 1994), a good measurement accuracy and a very good intercalibration between antennas. A global backscattering coefficient image of the world is presented and statistics of σ° are extracted for the main land surfaces. A strong dependence between this image and global vegetation and elevation map is observed. Finally, WSC and Seasat-A Scatterometer System (SASS) data of typical regions are compared. Results indicate the high capability of ERS-1 WSC data for land surfaces monitoring at global and regional scales