A scanning multichannel microwave radiometer for Nimbus-G and SeaSat-A
Abstract
A scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) has been designed for the Nimbus-G spacecraft and incorporated also into the SeaSat-A payload for the primary purpose of determining sea surface temperatures and wind stress on a nearly all-weather basis. Observations of microwave polarization components will be made at wavelengths of 0.8, 1.4, 1.7, 2.8, and 4.6 cm over a swath 822 km wide below the Nimbus-G and 595 km wide below the SeaSat-A spacecraft. The smallest spatial resolution cell is about 20 km at a wavelength of 0.8 cm, and proportionately larger at the other wavelengths. Using algorithms based on a combination of experimental data and physical models for converting the observed brightness temperatures, the indicated accuracy of the results (excluding conditions of significant rainfall) are within 1 K for sea surface temperature and 2 m/s for surface wind speeds, over a range from 0-50 m/s.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering
- Pub Date:
- April 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1109/JOE.1977.1145331
- Bibcode:
- 1977IJOE....2..172G
- Keywords:
-
- Microwave Radiometers;
- Multispectral Band Scanners;
- Nimbus 7 Satellite;
- Ocean Surface;
- Sea States;
- Seasat 1;
- Brightness Temperature;
- Surface Temperature;
- Wind Shear