A noncoherent model for microwave emissions and backscattering from the sea surface

Abstract

The two-scale (small irregularities superimposed upon large undulations) scattering theory proposed by Semyonov was extended and used to compute microwave apparent temperature and the backscattering cross section from ocean surfaces. The effect of the small irregularities upon the scattering characteristics of the large undulations is included by modifying the Fresnel reflection coefficients; whereas the effect of the large undulations upon those of the small irregularities is taken into account by averaging over the surface normals of the large undulations. The same set of surface parameters is employed for a given wind speed to predict both the scattering and the emission characteristics at both polarizations.