The European Remote Sensing (ERS) satellite's wind scatterometer is a microwave radar which provides the only source of global data for both wind speed and direction. The European Space Agency uses this data to generate a wind Fast Delivery Product (FDP). However, this product is insufficient in its resolution of the scatterometer's inherent wind direction ambiguity. This thesis presents development of improved processing of ERS satellite wind scatterometer data at the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) for dissemination to Navy operational centers. Discussion includes an introduction to the physical principles and operation of the scatterometer instrument, past and current systems, and development of the model transfer function. An alternative method of producing the wind field from raw scatterometer data is presented. This processing method for raw scatterometer data was developed for FNMOC, using the local global model (NOGAPS) wind field for comparison. The resulting scatterometer wind field consistently provides a more realistic wind field than the FDP, as demonstrated in the specific example of hurricane Hortense in the Caribbean Sea on 12 September 1996. Further comparison with the NOGAPS wind field, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Special Sensor Microwave/Imager wind speeds, and in-situ measurements provide additional validation.
展开▼
