Wind Retrievals under Rain for Passive Satellite Microwave Radiometers and its Application to Hurricane Tracking
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Wind Retrievals under Rain for Passive Satellite Microwave Radiometers and its Application to Hurricane Tracking
- Author:
Thomas Meissner, Member, IEEE and Frank J. Wentz
We have developed an algorithm that retrieves wind speed under rain using C-band and X-band channels of passive microwave satellite radiometers. The spectral difference of the brightness temperature signals due to wind or rain allows to find channel combinations that are sufficiently sensitive to wind speed but little or not sensitive to rain. We have trained a statistical algorithm that applies under hurricane conditions and is able to measure wind speeds in hurricanes to an estimated accuracy of about 2 m/s. We have also developed a global algorithm, that is less accurate but can be applied under all conditions.
