Comparison of inversion algorithms for HF radar wave measurements

All ocean wave components contribute to the second-order scattering of a high-frequency (HF) radio wave by the sea surface. It is therefore theoretically possible to estimate the ocean wave spectrum from the radar backscatter. To extract the wave information, it is necessary to solve the nonlinear integral equation that describes the relationship between the backscatter spectrum and the ocean wave directional spectrum. Different inversion techniques have been developed for this problem by different researchers, but there is at present no accepted “best” method. This paper gives an assessment of the current status of two methods for deriving sea-state information from HF radar observations of the sea surface. The methods are applied to simulated data and to an experimental data set with sea-truth being provided by a directional wave buoy     

Remote sensing with the JINDALEE skywave radar

The JINDALEE skywave radar is being developed primarily for defense surveillance of Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but its remote-sensing potential has long been recognized. Studies which commenced in 1974 led to successful measurements of sea-state and inferred surface wind fields in 1977-78 using a prototype radar; the current radar has been observing the Eastern Indian Ocean region since 1982. The JINDALEE radar is now linked to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology regional forecasting centers by a facsimile transmission network. Wind maps surveying over1 000 000 km^{2}of ocean can be produced automatically in real time at the radar facility and transmitted directly to forecasters. This capability, which became operational in January 1985, is supported by active research programs directed at improving the scope and accuracy of the measurements, as well as investigating a variety of meteorological and oceanographic phenomena. This paper presents an overview of the JINDALEE remote-sensing program with emphasis on the design and capabilities of the radar system.     

Ship detection with high-resolution HF skywave radar

This paper presents an overview of ship detection by high-frequency (HF) skywave backscatter over-the-horizon radar (OTHR). Ships have been detected at ranges of 2000 km or more by OTHR that uses sufficient resolution in the radar spatial and Doppler frequency domains. The HF sea-echo Doppler spectrum limits the target signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR), as a function of the ocean wave-height distribution, wind direction, radio frequency, and ship target radial velocity. Maximum sea-clutter spectrum purity, and hence larger SCR, is achieved with the use of stable single-mode ionospheric propagation. Real-time measurement and interpretation of ionospheric propagation features therefore must guide the choice of OTHR operating frequency. Experimental data recorded at the ONR/SR1 Wide Aperture Research Facility (WARF) bistatic OTHR in central California demonstrate reliable ship detection in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. WARF transmits 1-MW average effective radiated power, using a linear frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform, and receives with a 2.55-km broadside array of vertical monopole element pairs. Swept bandwidths as high as 200 kHz have been used. Sufficient spectral resolution is achieved with a coherent integration time (CIT) of 12.8 s. Longer CIT, and autoregressive (AR) spectral analysis techniques such as Marple's algorithm, have been used to improve Doppler resolution.     

Real-time sea-state surveillance with Skywave Radar

To extract sea-state information from the ionospherically distorted echoes received by a skywave radar, we use a signal-processing strategy that permits real-time decisions about the quality of incoming data. This paper explains the need for an on-line processor and describes some of its engineering details. We use an array processor to quickly compute all the spectra required to display ocean waveheight, as well as some indices of data quality, while the radar interrogates an ocean cell. The results are shown in a test using an experimental radar that mapped waveheight over its North Pacific coverage area. Coverage efficiency was 85 percent, and the radar's waveheight estimates averaged 2ft(0.6 m) higher than those forecast by a numerical model.     

A comparison of sea-state parameters from nautical radar images and buoy data

Nautical radar and scalar buoy measurements of ocean wind generated waves have been analysed to compare the spectral parameters estimated from both sensors. The time series of different sea-state parameters and the differences and ratios of the values obtained from radar and buoy data using different analysis methods are compared. It has been observed that main differences between the sea-state parameters derived by using measurements obtained from both sensors result both from device characteristics and from the method of spectral estimation. In particular, it is shown that the Nyquist frequency has an important effect on the value of the sea-state parameters depending on spectral moments of order higher than zero.     

Shallow water sonar conditions and radar backscatter

Sonar and radar signals are scattered by small-scale roughness elements of the sea surface. The characteristics of the roughness depend on wind, sea state, and other parameters. The dynamic behavior of this roughness is related to radar backscatter. This provides a basis for oceanographic radar remote sensing and links radar backscatter to sea surface sonar conditions. Radar, sonar, and roughness experiments have been conducted at the research platform NORDSEE. The results are combined and provide a method to estimate shallow water sonar conditions from the radar backscatter cross section     

台湾近海水文观测体系的构建及其数据分析方法

台湾岛地处亚欧大陆和太平洋交界处,台风、东北季风等所引起的海洋灾害频繁,所以建立完备的海洋水文观测体系显得尤为重要。中国台湾自主建置完成的近海水文观测体系由资料浮标站、观测桩、潮位站、岸边气象站、雷达测波站等多种近海水文观测系统构建组成;同时,为确保观测体系的准确性和规范性,还建立了数据品质管理系统和标准化作业模式。在近海水文观测数据的分析方面,尝试应用新的数学分析方法,如通过EMD（empirical mode decomposition）方法探讨风暴潮水位变化,利用小波转换从雷达观测影像中分析近岸波浪信息,以及发展数据同化技术将观测数据应用于作业化波浪现报、预报模式。此外,近海水文观测体系在社会应用方面有着很大的发展潜质。     

An experimental study of a pulse compression scatterometer system

The ideal scatterometer, operating from either an aircraft or a satellite platform, should be capable of making rapid, accurate estimates of the sea backscatter cross sectionsigmaover as wide a range of grazing anglespsias possible. Efficient operation over a large range of grazing angles is desirable because 1)sigmabehavior for90deg geq psi geq 70degyields rms gravity wave slope information and is an indicator of sea state and 2)sigmabehavior for70deg geq psi geq 0degyields data on surface wind magnitude and direction as well as information about the power spectrum of the sea. A "hybrid" estimation procedure has been developed for pulse compression radars which uses both frequency and spatially decorrelated samples ofsigmato provide an unbiased estimate ofsigmahaving minimum variance over the entire range of grazing angles for which radar reception is not noise-limited.     

Short-wave measurements by a fixed tower-based and a drifting buoysystem

The small-scale roughness of the sea surface acts as an important link in air-sea interaction processes. Radar and sonar waves are scattered by short surface waves providing the basis for remote sensing methods of the sea surface. At high wind speeds, breaking waves occur. Bubbles penetrate into the water and drastically increase acoustical reverberation, transmission loss and ambient noise. Thus, the development of short waves and wave breaking have to be known to apply radar remote sensing to the surface and to deduce from radar backscatter which sonar conditions prevail. To measure the wind dependence of short waves an experimental device was constructed for use from stationary platforms. It is nearly all-weather capable and can easily be handled by a crane. On the other hand, frequencies of short waves measured in a fixed position are extremely frequency shifted by currents. This limits the usefulness of tower-based measurements, e.g., the short wave modulation by wind and waves or currents can only be estimated in a rough approximation. Consequently, a buoy was developed to reduce the frequency shifts. The principle of the buoy is to drift in the local surface current and to follow the amplitudes of long waves. Therefore, short waves are measured in facets of long waves and the Doppler shifts are minimized. The wind is measured at a constant height above the long wave profile and relative to the moving facets. The paper describes the conventional measuring device and points out the necessity of the drifting buoy system. Examples of wind and wave spectra are presented and short wave modulations by long waves are depicted, too. From these measurements, new insights in short wave behaviour have to be expected     

Nonlinear influences on ocean waves observed by X-band radar

The purpose of this study is to discuss the influence of signal nonlinearity upon X-band radar observations. A method for estimating the degree of nonlinearity by bispectral analysis was applied and discussed. We found that bispectral analyses from spatial radar backscatter series are similar to results obtained from water level time series. In addition, the average nonlinear degree from radar backscatter is related to wind speed. The accuracy of wave observations derived by consideration of the nonlinear effect from radar backscatter was also investigated. The estimated error in wave height from the radar data is also related to the degree of nonlinearity. In order to improve accuracy, the modulation transfer function method was applied in order to eliminate the influence of nonlinearity.     

Four years of low-altitude sea ice broad-band backscatter measurements

The ability to use radar to discriminate Arctic Sea ice types has been investigated using surface-based and helicopter-borne scatterometer systems. The surface-based FM/CW radar operated at 1.5 GHz and at multiple frequencies in the 8-18-GHz region. Measurements were made at angles of10degto70degfrom nadir. The helicopter-based radar operated at the 8-18-GHz frequencies with incidence angles of0degto60deg. Extensive surface-truth measurements were made at or near the time of backscattar measurement to describe the physical and electrical properties of the polar scene. Measurements in the 8-18-GHz region verify the ability to discriminate multiyear, thick first-year, thin first-year, and pressure-ridged sea ice and lake ice. The lowest frequency, 9 GHz, was found to provide the greatest contrast between these ice categories, with significant levels of separation existing between angles from15degto70deg. The radar cross sections for like antenna polarizations, VV and HH, were very similar in absolute level and angular response. Cross-polarization, VH and HV, provided the greatest contrast between ice types, The 1.5-GHz measurements showed that thick first-year, thin first-year, and multiyear sea ice cannot be distinguished at10degto60degincidence angles with like polarization, VV, by backscatter alone; but that undeformed sea ice can be discriminated from pressure-ridged ice and lake ice. The effect of snow cover on the backscatter from thick first-year ice was also investigated. It contributes on the order of 0 to 4 dB, depending on frequency and incidence angle; the contribution of the snow layer increased with increasing frequency. Snow cover on smooth lake ice was found to be a major backscatter mechanism. Summer measurements demonstrate the inability to extend the knowledge of the backscatter from sea ice under spring conditions to all seasons.     

Induced-current effects on microwave backscatter

Microwave measurements have been made with a coherent radar in a wind-wave tank to determine the effect of induced current on backscatter. Perturbations were introduced into the wave structure by inducing a current in the water that flowed either with or against the wind. The effect of current on radar cross section was slight; the effect on the Doppler was much more pronounced. It was found that the wave components responsible for radar backscatter are predominantly free waves (that is, waves which travel at the dispersion velocity) rather than waves which are parasitic (or locked) to the dominant waves.     

Radar backscatter from mechanically generated transient breakingwaves. I. Angle of incidence dependence and high resolution surfacemorphology

This paper describes the results of an experimental investigation of the microwave backscatter from several laboratory generated transient breaking waves. The breaking waves were generated mechanically in a 35 m×0.7 m×1.14 m deep wave tank, utilizing chirped wave packets spanning the frequency range 0.8-2.0 Hz. Backscatter measurements, were taken by a X/K-band (10.525 GHz, 24.125 GHz) continuous wave Doppler radar at 30°, 45°, and 60° angles of incidence, and at azimuth angles of 0° and 180° relative to the direction of wave propagation. Surface profiles were measured with a high-speed video camera and laser sheet technique. Specular facets were detected by imaging the surface from the perspective of the radar. The maximum radar backscatter occurred in the upwave direction prior to wave breaking, was nearly polarization independent and corresponded to the detection of specular facets on the steepened wave face. This peak radar backscatter was predicted through a finite conductivity corrected physical optics technique over the measured surface wave profiles. Post break backscatter was predicted using a roughness corrected physical optics technique and the small perturbation method, which was found to predict the returns for vertical polarization, but to under predict the horizontal returns     

关于定量监测悬浮泥沙浓度方法的回顾和展望

获取近岸水体中悬浮物浓度及相关信息对于理解和管理海洋环境相当重要。历史上对于悬浮物浓度的监测往往通过费时费力的出海观测,而这种观测具有很大的局限性,每次观测只能获取一个站位的信息。为了更快更有效的获得即时悬浮物浓度相关信息,很多新的监测手段及相关科技被开发及应用。各种机载,卫星载遥感设各被用于获得及时,全面的沉积物信息...     

Side-looking sonar backscatter response at dual frequencies

Dual-frequency side-looking sonars have the potential to be used as remote sensing tools to characterize subaqueous terrains. In one case study of the carbonate-ooze-coated Blake Plateau off-shore of Georgia, U.S.A., the difference in acoustic attenuation for 50 and 20 mm wavelengths (30 and 72 kHz frequency) permits the discrimination of sub-bottom scatterers from seabed surface textural features to reveal patchy regions where a buried hard ground had been pock-marked by karst-like depressions. In a second study of the Upper Hudson River in New York, U.S.A., related to environmental contaminates, the backscatter response at 15 and 3 mm acoustic wavelengths (100 and 500 kHz frequency) serves as a useful proxy for sediment grain size with coarser detritus distinguished from finer sediments. Sand and gravel regions inferred from the backscatter were confirmed by ground truth sampling.     

Radar backscatter from mechanically generated transient breakingwaves. II. Azimuthal and grazing angle dependence

For Pt. I see ibid. vol. 26, pp. 181-200 (2001). This paper describes the results of experimental investigations into the microwave backscatter from mechanically generated transient breaking waves. The investigations were carried out in a 110 m×7.6 m×4 m deep model basin, utilizing chirped wave packets spanning 0.75-1.75 Hz. Backscatter measurements were taken by a K-band continuous wave radar (24.125 GHz) at 40° angle of incidence, and at azimuth angles of 0°, 45°, 90°, 135° and 180° relative to the direction of wave propagation. Grazing measurements were conducted using an X-band (10.525 GHz) FMCW radar at 85° angle of incidence, and azimuth angles of 0° and 180°. Results show that the maximum radar backscatter was obtained in the upwave direction prior to wave breaking and was caused by the specular or near specular presentation of the wave to the radar. After breaking, the backscatter transitioned from a specular or near-specular dominated scattering, primarily seen in the upwave direction, to a small scale roughness dominated scattering, observed at all azimuths. Physical optics solutions were found to correctly predict the backscatter for the specular or near-specular dominated scattering and the small perturbation method was found to accurately model the VV polarization post-break radar backscatter     

主动式海洋微波遥感探测原理和应用

本文阐述了海洋微波遥感的几种主动式探测仪器：雷达高度计、表面等高线雷达、散射计、雷达海洋波谱计和合成孔径雷达的简单工作原理，并对它们在海洋学研究中的应用的优劣点进行了分析。应该明确的是：微波遥感对海洋学研究是至关重要的，它可以实现别的方法所不能实现的测量。它的结果更多地应用在海洋动力学的各个研究和应用方面。     

Parametric estimation of ocean surface currents with HF radar

Ocean surface currents can be estimated, over a large coastal area, by utilizing the backscatter of high frequency (HF) radar waves from ocean gravity waves. Although the overall backscatter mechanism is complicated, the surface current information is contained within the spectral characteristics of two dominant Bragg components. The accuracy of the current estimate, following the usual FFT-based spectral estimate, is limited by the frequency resolution of the FFT and the time-varying characteristics of the Bragg components. This paper describes a high resolution parametric estimation of the ocean currents based on a recently proposed technique for analyzing time-varying signals. This technique, together with a time-domain ocean clutter model, allows all the Bragg signal information to be extracted from the two dominant eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix constructed from the radar data. Using signals from an operational coastal surveillance radar, current estimates made using this technique are compared with those estimated by the conventional FFT-based method     

Measurement of ocean wave spectra using narrow-beam HE radar

A data interpretation algorithm is developed to extract ocean wave information from HF radar backscatter observed by a narrow-beam antenna system. The basis of this measurement is the inversion of the integral equation representing the second-order radar cross section of the ocean surface. This equation is numerically inverted by approximating it as a matrix equation and pseudoinverting the kernel matrix using a singular value decomposition. As a test of this algorithm, comparisons are made between wave spectrum estimates obtained from a WAVEC buoy and a pair of 25.4-MHz ground wave radars, using data collected during the 1986 Canadian Atlantic Storms Program (CASP). Overall, the results of this experiment have been positive and have demonstrated both the basic feasibility of the inversion algorithm and the wave sensing capability of HF radar. For example, significant wave height estimates deduced by two radars differed from the buoy, in an absolute value sense, by only 0.12 m on average. When using only one radar, the mean difference of this important parameter from the buoy was a reasonable 0.33 m     

X-band low-grazing-angle ocean backscatter obtained during LOGAN1993

This paper reviews X-band ocean microwave backscatter data from the LOGAN (LOw Grazing ANgle) experiment conducted on the Chesapeake Light Tower by the Naval Air Warfare Center. The data were collected under varied wind, sea, and swell conditions that provide some new insights into low-grazing-angle backscatter phenomena. Transient backscatter peaks called “sea spikes” have long been associated with deep-water breaking waves; however, they have yet to be fully reconciled with backscatter and hydrodynamic theories. New analysis techniques have been applied to the LOGAN data that take advantage of the unique characteristics of sea spikes and their dynamics. High-resolution Doppler spectra are organized relative to the space-time centroids of the sea-spike clusters and conditionally averaged by RCS strength. The mean Doppler variation of the strongest sea spikes then map the breaking-wave structure just as Doppler histories measured at moderate grazing angles map the dynamics of the dominant linear surface-wave components. While breaking waves are manifest to some degree in backscatter data at all grazing angles, a non-Bragg-scatter mechanism accentuates the crest scattering at low grazing angles. The phenomena potentially can be exploited for remote ocean sensing and imaging