The concept of a microwave radar with an asymmetric knifelike beam for the remote sensing of ocean waves

The features of near-nadir probing of the ocean surface from a satellite are investigated, and a new configuration of a microwave radar for the surface slopes measurement is proposed. Numerical modeling is used to examine the feasibility of a spaceborne implementation, to devise a measuring technique, and to develop a data processing algorithm. It is shown that the radar with a knifelike beam (1° × 25°–30°) can be used to measure the variance of surface wave slopes. Using range selection and a new processing procedure to synthesize data, it is possible to achieve the spatial resolution required to study wave processes on the ocean surface from satellites. A new approach to wind speed retrieval at and near nadir is also discussed.