Analysis of Skylab 2 S193 scatterometer data

Abstract

SKYLAB II S193 Scatterometer data for the passes of June 5, 1973, over the Gulf of Mexico and June 6, 1973, over Pacific Hurricane AVA were analyzed. The S193 scatterometer measured the radar cross section of the ocean at 13.9 GHz (Ku-band) as a function of incidence angle. The fields-of-view of the scatterometer were known. In the absence of a large body of Ku-band ocean radar data, the results of the NRL experiments at X-band (8.9 GHz) were used for comparison. The S193 data of June 5, 1973, when a practically uniform wind field was present, show reasonable agreement with the NRL empirical and theoretical models.