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Jackson, F. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Jackson, F. C..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Sea surface mean square slope from Ku-band backscatter data

A surface mean-square-slope parameter analysis is conducted for 14-GHz airborne radar altimeter near-nadir, quasi-specular backscatter data, which in raw form obtained by least-squares fitting of an optical scattering model to the return waveform show an approximately linear dependence over the 7-15 m/sec wind speed range. Slope data are used to draw inferences on the structure of the high-wavenumber portion of the spectrum. A directionally-integrated model height spectrum that encompasses wind speed-dependent k exp -5/2 and classical Phillips k exp -3 power laws subranges in the range of gravity waves is supported by the data.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Frequency dependence of electromagnetic bias in radar altimeter sea surface range measurements

Range measurements made by satellite radar altimeters experience a bias toward the troughs of ocean waves. A series of aircraft flights during February-April 1989 measured this electromagnetic (EM) bias at three radar frequencies and the UV under a variety of wind and wave conditions, and provided the first airborne open-ocean measurements at the 13.6-GHz and 5.3-GHz operating frequencies of the NASA altimeter on the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The data suggest that the mean EM bias decreases linearly with increasing radar frequency between 5.3 and 36 GHz, according to the expression: EM bias (percent of significant wave height) = (3.0-0.0617 F)(1 +/-0.5), where F is in gigahertz. EM bias is fairly constant over a mesoscale region on a given day but can fluctuate significantly from one day to another. It shows a strong increase at all radar frequencies with increasing wind speed, although other sea state conditions, such as the wind direction relative to the wave direction, are also factors.

Walsh, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A case study of wave-current interaction near an oceanic front

High resolution directional wave spectrum data were obtained from two NASA airborne radars during the Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment in February 1986. The observations show a significant change in the wave number spectrum across the front. On the basis of surveys from a towed sensor and on satellite imagery, the front location and current field are estimated. A numerical model is developed for the wave-current interaction and is used to model the wave refraction across the frontal current. A parametric study is performed to demonstrate the effects of current meandering. The main consequence of meandering is the formation of caustics and shadow zone regions in which the wave energy is significantly enhanced or reduced. Spectral simulation along the aircraft track reveals a reduction of more that 60 percent in wave energy in the shadow zone; this is consistent with the observations.

Liu, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Microwave radar oceanographic investigations

The Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer (ROWS) technique was developed and demonstrated for measuring ocean wave directional spectra from air and space platforms. The measurement technique was well demonstrated with data collected in a number of flight experiments involving wave spectral comparisons with wave buoys and the Surface Contour Radar (SCR). Recent missions include the SIR-B underflight experiment (1984), FASINEX (1986), and LEWEX (1987). ROWS related activity is presently concentrating on using the aircraft instrument for wave-processes investigations and obtaining the necessary support (consensus) for a satellite instrument development program. Prospective platforms include EOS and the Canadian RADARSAT.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1988

ROWS observations of directional wave spectra in Fasinex

Data acquired by the NASA Ku-band Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer (ROWS) during NASA P-3 flights in Fasinex (the Frontal Air-Sea Interaction Experiment) on February 21 and 26, 1986 are analyzed. The ROWS technique consists of measuring the directional reflectivity spectrum of the sea surface via a combination of range and azimuth scattering. The nondirectional height-frequency spectrum corresponding to the directional wave spectrum for February 26 is presented.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Oceanographic measurement capabilities of the NASA P-3 aircraft

Instrumentation on NASA P3 aircraft available to provide ground truth for ERS-1 is described. The wave sensors include the 36 GHz Surface Contour Radar (SCR), the Ku-band Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer (ROWS), and the Airborne Oceanographic Lidar. The other sensors include a C-band scatterometer, video camera, radiation thermometer, and AXRTs. The SCR and ROWS directional spectrum measurements are discussed. When planning for an underflight mission, the limited endurance of the aircraft (6 hr) and flight cost (2.7 K$/hr) must be considered. The advantage of the redundancy afforded by the several wave instruments is another important consideration.

Mollo-Christensen, Erik↗
NASA NTRS1986

A comparison of SIR-B directional ocean wave spectra with aircraft scanning radar spectra

Directional ocean wave spectra derived from Shuttle Imaging Radar-B (SIR-B) L-band imagery collected off the coast of Southern Chile on 11 and 12 October 1984 were compared with independent spectral estimates from two airborne scanning radars. In sea states with significant wave heights ranging from 3 to 5 meters, the SIR-B-derived sspectra at 18 deg and 25 deg off nadir yielded reasonable estimates of wavelengths, directions, and spectral shapes for all wave systems encountered, including a purely azimuth-traveling system. A SIR-B image intensity variance spectrum containing predominantly range-traveling waves closely resembles an independent aircraft estimate of the slope variance spectrum. The prediction of a U.S. Navy global spectral ocean wave model on 11 October 1984 exhibited no significant bias in dominant wave number but contained a directional bias of about 30 deg with respect to the mean of the aircraft and spacecraft estimates.

Beal, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Aircraft and satellite measurement of ocean wave directional spectra using scanning-beam microwave radars

A microwave radar technique for remotely measuring the vector wave number spectrum of the ocean surface is described. The technique which employs short-pulse, noncoherent radars in a conical scan mode near vertical incidence, is shown to be suitable for both aircraft and satellite application, the technique was validated at 10 km aircraft altitude, where we have found excellent agreement between buoy and radar-inferred absolute wave height spectra.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A comparison of in situ and airborne radar observations of ocean wave directionality

The directional spectrum of a fully arisen, about 3 m sea as measured by an experimental airborne radar, the NASA K(u)-band radar ocean wave spectrometer (ROWS), is compared to reference pitch-roll buoy data and to the classical SWOP (stereo wave observations project) spectrum for fully developed conditions. The ROWS spectrum, inferred indirectly from backscattered power measurements at 5-km altitude, is shown to be in excellent agreement with the buoy spectrum. Specifically, excellent agreement is found between the two nondirectional height spectra, and mean wave directions and directional spreads as functions of frequency. A comparison of the ROWS and SWOP spectra shows the two spectra to be very similar, in detailed shape as well as in terms of the gross spreading characteristics. Both spectra are seen to exhibit bimodal structures which accord with the Phillips' (1958) resonance mechanism. This observation is thus seen to support Phillips' contention that the SWOP modes were indeed resonance modes, not statistical artifacts.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

ROWS estimates of wave height, wind speed, and directional wave spectra for SIR-B underflights off Chile, October 11 and 12, 1984

An account is given of the successful operation of the Goddard Ku-band Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer (ROWS) on four out of five of the NASA Wallops' P-3 underflights of the Shuttle Imaging Radar-B (SIR-B) off the coast of southern Chile during the period of October 7-12, 1984. ROWS provided surface wind speed, wave height, and directional wave height spectrum estimates from the instrument's nadir altimeter mode and off-nadir spectrometer mode. ROWS estimates of the directional spectra of 300-400-m wavelength swell-dominated 3-5 m seas on October 11 and 12 are presented and compared to SCR (Surface Contour Radar), SIR-B, and Navy GSOWM spectra. Good agreement is found with SCR height spectra for the 12th (when the SCR was operable). Also, surprisingly good agreement is found between ROWS slope spectra and SIR-B image spectra for both the 11th and 12th for both swell and local wind-sea components. ROWS altimeter mode estimates of maximum winds of about 10 m/s on the 11th and 12th are seen to be consistent with the ROWS spectrometer mode observed local wind-sea peak frequencies of about 0.12-0.14 Hz.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Some case studies of ocean wave physical processes utilizing the GSFC airborne radar ocean wave spectrometer

The NASA K sub u band Radar Ocean Wave Spectrometer (ROWS) is an experimental prototype of a possible future satellite instrument for low data rate global waves measurements. The ROWS technique, which utilizes short pulse radar altimeters in a conical scan mode near vertical incidence to map the directional slope spectrum in wave number and azimuth, is briefly described. The potential of the technique is illustrated by some specific case studies of wave physical processes utilizing the aircraft ROWS data. These include: (1) an evaluation of numerical hindcast model performance in storm sea conditions, (2) a study of fetch limited wave growth, and (3) a study of the fully developed sea state. Results of these studies, which are briefly summarized, show how directional wave spectral observations from a mobile platform can contribute enormously to our understanding of wave physical processes.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Aircraft and satellite measurement of ocean wave directional spectra using scanning-beam microwave radars

A microwave radar technique for remotely measuring the vector wave number spectrum of the ocean surface is described. The technique, which employs short-pulse, noncoherent radars in a conical scan mode near vertical incidence, is shown to be suitable for both aircraft and satellite application, the technique was validated at 10 km aircraft altitude, where we have found excellent agreement between buoy and radar-inferred absolute wave height spectra.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

An analysis of short pulse and dual frequency radar techniques for measuring ocean wave spectra from satellites

A four frequency moment characterization of backscatter from the near-vertical is applied to an analysis of the short pulse and dual frequency microwave techniques. The range reflectivity modulation spectrum closely approximates the directional wave slope spectrum, while harmonic distortion is small and is a minimum near 10 deg incidence. The short pulse measurement signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is typically greater than the narrowband dual frequency SNR, with the difference being the ratio of the range beam extent to pulse length, minus the ratio of beam-limited to pulse-limited Doppler spreads. It is concluded that dual frequency measurements are basically impractical, although short pulse measurements are useful and can employ existing space-qualified microwave hardware.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

An analysis of short pulse and dual frequency radar techniques for measuring ocean wave spectra from satellites

Scanning beam microwave radars were used to measure ocean wave directional spectra from satellites. In principle, surface wave spectral resolution in wave number can be obtained using either short pulse (SP) or dual frequency (DF) techniques; in either case, directional resolution obtains naturally as a consequence of a Bragg-like wave front matching. A four frequency moment characterization of backscatter from the near vertical using physical optics in the high frequency limit was applied to an analysis of the SP and DF measurement techniques. The intrinsic electromagnetic modulation spectrum was to the first order in wave steepness proportional to the large wave directional slope spectrum. Harmonic distortion was small and was a minimum near 10 deg incidence. NonGaussian wave statistics can have an effect comparable to that in the second order of scattering from a normally distributed sea surface. The SP technique is superior to the DF technique in terms of measurement signal to noise ratio and contrast ratio.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The reflection of impulses from a nonlinear random sea

A model of the reflection of radar impulses from the sea at near-vertical incidence is used to account for non-Gaussian ocean waves statistics. The joint probability density function (pdf), of wave height and slope, is calculated according to the theory of Longuet-Higgins (1963) on the distribution of variables in a 'weakly nonlinear' random era. The long-crested approximation is made, a Phillips wave spectrum is assumed, and the Gram-Charlier series is truncated after skewness terms. It is found that the height and height-slope skewness coefficients bear the ratio 1:2 and that the derived impulse response and conditional cross section versus wave height are in excellent agreement with previous observations. Finally, it is suggested that the empirically determined and theoretically predicted sea state bias be corrected for in the routine processing of satellite radar altimeter data.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Directional spectra of ocean waves from microwave backscatter: A physical optics solution with application to the short-pulse and two-frequency measurement techniques

Two simple microwave radar techniques that are potentially capable of providing routine satellite measurements of the directional spectrum of ocean waves were developed. One technique, the short pulse technique, makes use of very short pulses to resolve ocean surface wave contrast features in the range direction; the other technique, the two frequency correlation technique makes use of coherency in the transmitted waveform to detect the large ocean wave contrast modulation as a beat or mixing frequency in the power backscattered at two closely separated microwave frequencies. A frequency domain analysis of the short pulse and two frequency systems shows that the two measurement systems are essentially duals; they each operate on the generalized (three frequency) fourth-order statistical moment of the surface transfer function in different, but symmetrical ways, and they both measure the same directional contrast modulation spectrum. A three dimensional physical optics solution for the fourth-order moment was obtained for backscatter in the near vertical, specular regime, assuming Gaussian surface statistics.

Jackson, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A curvature-corrected Kirchhoff formulation for radar sea-return from the near vertical

A new theoretical treatment of the problem of electromagnetic wave scattering from a randomly rough surface is given. A high frequency correction to the Kirchhoff approximation is derived from a field integral equation for a perfectly conducting surface. The correction, which accounts for the effect of local surface curvature, is seen to be identical with an asymptotic form found by Fock (1945) for diffraction by a paraboloid. The corrected boundary values are substituted into the far field Stratton-Chu integral, and average backscattered powers are computed assuming the scattering surface is a homogeneous Gaussian process. Preliminary calculations for K(-4) ocean wave spectrum indicate a resonable modelling of polarization effects near the vertical, theta 45 deg. Correspondence with the results of small perturbation theory is shown.

Jackson, F. C.↗