A study on retrieval algorithms in oceanic passive microwave remote sensing using 1.4 GHz and 10.7 GHz bands

To retrieve sea-surface salinity (SSS) from radiometer data at 1.4 GHz, auxiliary data of sea-surface temperature (SST), surface roughness and meteorological variables are needed. The authors study oceanic passive polarimetric microwave remote sensing using 1.4 GHz and 10.7 GHz bands. A set of algorithms are developed for 1.4 GHz and 10.7 GHz microwave polarimetric radiometer at 50° incidence angle to retrieve wind vector, as well as other geophysical parameters, such as SSS, SST, atmospheric volumes of water vapor and liquid water. Idealized retrievals are conducted using 2324 simulated brightness temperatures of full Stokes parameters at 1.4 GHz and 10.7 GHz. Results indicate that SSS, SST, sea-surface wind speed, direction, atmospheric volumes of water vapor and liquid water can be inversed at the same time. This suggests an alternative way for SSS remote sensing.