Performance Evaluation of an Operational Spaceborne Scatterometer

Study results are presented showing performance capability of a spaceborne scatterometer to measure ocean surface wind speed and direction operationally. In addition, a research mode is described which will allow development of improved radar signatures for ocean, sea ice, and land targets. The study results show that a scatterometer can meet the operational user requirement of ±2 m/s wind-speed accuracy (or ±10 percent, whichever is greater) and ±20° wind-direction accuracy over most of the expected ocean surface conditions. The six-beam scatterometer design evaluated is shown to be skillful (>90 percent correct) in specifying the correct wind-vector solution (with a 1800° ambiguity) from the multiple solutions derived. Further improvement must rely on meteorological and pattern-recognition techniques which are being studied.