Investigates the theory of polarimetric passive remote sensing of wind-generated sea surfaces. A two-scale polarimetric scattering and emission model of sea surfaces is developed to interpret existing active and passive remote sensing microwave signatures of sea surfaces, and to investigate the potential application of polarimetric radiometry to ocean surface winds. Theoretical backscattering coefficients are compared with SASS geophysical model function, the accuracy of which has been confirmed by NUSCAT data, to verify the accuracy of the two-scale model. Furthermore, it is found that model-predicted azimuthal modulations of Stokes parameters of thermal radiation agree reasonably well with existing Ku-, K-, and Ka-band radiometer data. The results indicate that the azimuthal modulations observed in the microwave backscatter as well as emission data could be responsible by the same anisotropic directional surface features caused by wind forcing. Finally, the authors discuss issues related to passive remote sensing of ocean surface winds.
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