Method for remotely determining sea surface roughness and wind speed at

Abstract

Transmitted signals are used to remotely assess sea surface roughness and nce wind speed at a water surface. A signal is transmitted from a signal source as it moves either through air or space. A land- or sea-based antenna receives the signal directly from the signal source and indirectly from the signal source by way of reflection of the signal from the surface being examined. The sum of the directly and indirectly received signals form an interference pattern as the signal source is moved. The interference pattern has peak-to-null signal values that are characteristic of the surface conditions being analyzed. Reference interference patterns are then generated for known surface conditions, each of the reference patterns exhibiting 'known' characteristic peak-to-null signal values. The peak-to-null signal values of the reference interference patterns are then compared to the peak-to-null signal values generated from the surface being examined. The reference interference pattern having known peak-to-null signal values most closely resembling the peak-to-null signal values generated from the surface being examined is determined. The known surface conditions of this reference interference pattern are then equated with the unknown surface conditions of the surface being examined. By using this technique one can determine the surface conditions of a sea surface as well as the wind speed present at such a surface.