Poor-resolution satellite observations of radar return from North America, Brazil, and the oceans
Abstract
The 13.9 GHz radar scatterometer on Skylab produced statistics of radar returns from thousands of points in North America and Brazil, as well as from the oceans. The resolution cell of the system varied from about 11 km in diameter at vertical incidence to 20 by 30 km at 50 deg incidence. Although these cells are larger than the preprocessing cells to be expected from spacecraft synthetic-aperture radars, they are at least as comparable with such cells as are the observation cells when aircraft radars are used. Results are presented both in terms of composite statistics for North America, Brazil, and the oceans, and in terms of statistics for particular classes of terrain. Both vertical and horizontal polarization data are presented for the land, and cross-polarized measurements are presented as well as for the sea. Correlations are indicated for the returns at different angles and polarizations.
- Publication:
-
In AGARD New Devices
- Pub Date:
- February 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977ndts.agarT....M
- Keywords:
-
- Brazil;
- North America;
- Oceans;
- Radar Resolution;
- Satellite Observation;
- Atlantic Ocean;
- Pacific Ocean;
- Radar Data;
- Scatterometers;
- Skylab Program;
- Communications and Radar