Abstract The global ocean surface wind vector is a key parameter for short-term weather forecasting, the issuing of timely weather warnings, and the gathering of general climatological data. In addition, it affects a broad range of naval missions, including strategic ship movement and positioning, aircraft carrier operations, aircraft deployment, effective weapons use, underway replenishment, and littoral operations. WindSat is a satellite-based multifrequency polarimetric microwave radiometer developed by the Naval Research Laboratory for the U.S. Navy and the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Integrated Program Office. It is designed to demonstrate the capability of polarimetric microwave radiometry to measure the ocean surface wind vector from space. The sensor provides risk reduction for the development of the Conical Microwave Imager Sounder, which is planned to provide wind vector data operationally starting in 2010. WindSat is the primary payload on the Department of Defense Coriolis satellite, which was launched on January 6, 2003. It is in an 840-km circular sun-synchronous orbit. The WindSat payload is performing well and is currently undergoing rigorous calibration and validation to verify mission success.
WindSat Spaceborne Polarimetric Microwave Radiometer: Sensor Description and Early Orbit Performance
2004
16 pages
Report
No indication
English
Meteorological Data Collection, Analysis, & Weather , Physical & Chemical Oceanography , Laboratory & Test Facility Design & Operation , Optics & Lasers , Orbits , Ocean surface , Wind , Polarimetry , Weather forecasting , Spaceborne , Radiometers , Microwave equipment , Weapons , Short range(Time) , Artificial satellites , Conical bodies , Marine meteorology , Timeliness , Calibration , Naval research laboratories , Naval operations , Aircraft carriers , Vector analysis , Climate , Coriolis effect , Sounding , Remote systems , Radiometry , Missions , Meteorological data , Deployment , Parameters , Validation , Payload , Defense systems , Remote sensing , Windsat
Spaceborne Polarimetric Microwave Radiometry and the Coriolis WindSat System
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2000
|NTIS | 2001
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