Estimating Winds and Waves from Synthetic Aperture Radar under Typhoon Conditions

摘要

The long-term goal of this project is to develop a typhoon Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) wind algorithm for C-Band that can be modified to be applied to X-Band and L-Band SAR data. We begin with a multi-pronged approach that will include up to three different SAR wind and wave algorithms to be validated with in-situ observations and accurate model predictions during typical hurricane and typhoon conditions. The next step will be to modify these algorithms to allow both SAR data from L-band and X-band systems. The specific scientific objectives of this study are as follows: (1) to determine how accurately C-band wind algorithms can measure the wind vector field in tropical cyclones, such as hurricanes and typhoons; (2) to determine how accurately C- band wave algorithms can measure the properties of directional wave field in tropical cyclones, such as hurricanes and typhoons; (3) to examine how these wind and wave algorithms could be extended to perform for SAR data from L-band and X-band systems; (4) to determine a test data set of ground truth based on in-situ and airborne observations as well as highly accurate model predictions; and (5) to develop performance metrics that provides error statistics. The new typhoon wind model and complementary sea state and waves algorithm will provide unprecedented information about the intensity and structure of typhoons and hurricanes.