WindSat Polarmetric View of Greenland

WindSat is the first spaceborne microwave polarimetric radiometer that measures all four elements of the Stokes vector, the brightness temperatures at vertical and horizontal polarizations (TV and TH), and the real and imaginary parts of the cross-correlation of the vertical and horizontal polarizat...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Li, L., Gaiser, P.
Other Authors: NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC REMOTE SENSING DIV
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2006
Subjects:
Geology
Geochemistry and Mineralogy
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Optics
Radiofrequency Wave Propagation
*SNOW
*GREENLAND
*POLARIMETRY
RADIOMETERS
GEOPHYSICS
REMOTE DETECTION
LAND ICE
CLIMATE
POLARIZATION
REPRINTS
SIGNATURES
*WINDSAT
*STOKES PARAMETERS
MICROWAVE SIGNATURES
STOKES VECTOR
Antarctic
The Antarctic
Greenland
Antarc*
Ice
permafrost
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA517967
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA517967
Description
Summary:WindSat is the first spaceborne microwave polarimetric radiometer that measures all four elements of the Stokes vector, the brightness temperatures at vertical and horizontal polarizations (TV and TH), and the real and imaginary parts of the cross-correlation of the vertical and horizontal polarization known as the third and fourth Stokes parameters (TU and TF). WindSat was developed by NRL and had been in operation since January 2003. The polarimetric signatures of the third and fourth Stokes measurements are mostly related to the asymmetric structures of the ocean-wind-driven surface roughness. Prior to the launch of WindSat, it was a common belief that land polarimetric signatures at satellite footprint scales would be below the instrument noise level and would not carry any useful geophysical information. However, postlaunch data processing reveals significant land signals in the TU and TF, particularly over Greenland and the Antarctic ice sheets, which are the most environmentally sensitive Earth media, playing a significant role in global sea level and climate changes. Understanding this polarimetric signature, uniquely afforded by WindSat, and its relation with the snow properties and microstructures will have a profound impact on climate study. Published in 2006 NRL View (Remote Sensing), p1-3.

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