Pacific Marine Radar Sea Scatter Experimental Results

摘要

Results are presented for a low grazing angle marine radar sea scatter experiment conducted in the Pacific Ocean. A wide range of wind speeds and directions resulted in non-equilibrium sea conditions, in contrast to a previous Atlantic experiment in which ocean waves were fully developed. Statistical properties of the radar echoes are parameterized by a dual-Weibull model versus wind speed and differ from the North Atlantic data. A modified version of Wetzel's cylindrical plume scattering model satisfactorily describes the sea spike cross section characteristics. For the Weibull distribution representing distributed scatter, a composite scattering model produces neither the correct absolute cross section nor the correct X/S band ratio using Bragg scatter spectral densities derived from high grazing angle radar experiments. Thus, the surface turbulence from a broken crest on the front face of waves may be responsible for the scatter from area-distributed roughness.