Project Title
Improved Vector Wind and Stress Retrievals for Climate Applications, PI: Frank J. Wentz
Focus of this work
Through this project we provide improved ocean vector winds from US and European scatterometers. The measurements from the various instruments are carefully inter-calibrated so that they are suitable for climate research. Two products will result: a vector wind at 10m above the ocean surface and the vector stress that the wind exerts on the ocean surface. We also continue to investigate the effects of rain on C-band and Ku-band scatterometers measurements.
Project History
Remote Sensing Systems has been a member of the Ocean Vector Wind Science Team since the early 1990s before the launch of NSCAT. We are known for developing geophysical model functions for Ku-band instruments, validating scatterometer ocean winds, producing high quality scatterometer data products, and using these data for climate wind analysis.
We work together with scientists at Florida State University COAPS and NASA JPL to improve QuikScat/SeaWinds products.
We have also developed a C-band Geophysical Model Function, C-2013, that is used to produce an ASCAT data set that is consistent with the QuikScat winds. We can now confidently join the QuikSCAT and ASCAT data into a long time-series for climate study.
This work is pertinent to the following missions: QuikScat, SeaWinds, ASCAT
This work is applicable to the following measurements: winds