Keywords

remote sensing, scatterometer, wind retrieval, radar, hurricane, MLE, IWRAP

Abstract

Reliable ocean wind vector measurements can be obtained using active microwave remote sensing (scatterometry) techniques. With the increase in the number of severe hurricanes making landfall in the United States, there is increased emphasis on operational monitoring of hurricane winds from aircraft. This thesis presents a data processing algorithm to provide real-time hurricane wind vector retrievals (wind speed and direction) from conically scanning airborne microwave scatterometer measurements of ocean surface backscatter. The algorithm is developed to best suit the specifications for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Research Division's airborne scatterometer – Integrated Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (IWRAP). Based on previous scatterometer wind retrieval methodologies, the main focus of the work is to achieve rapid data processing to provide real-time measurements to the NOAA Hurricane Center. A detailed description is presented of special techniques used. Because IWRAP flight data were not available at the time of this development, the wind retrieval performance was evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation, whereby radar backscatter measurements were simulated with instrument and geophysical noise and then used to infer the surface wind conditions in a simulated (numerical weather model) hurricane wind field

Notes

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Graduation Date

2006

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Jones, W. Linwood

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Degree Program

Electrical Engineering

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0001477

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0001477

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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