An overview of the SAR Internal Wave Signature Experiment

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Abstract
The SAR Internal Wave Signature Experiment (SARSEX) was conducted in the New York Bight in late summer 1984 to investigate synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of oceanic internal waves. The experiment was designed to acquire adequate in situ data to test hydrodynamic theories for the interaction of surface waves and currents, as well as theories for radar imaging of internal wave surface manisfestations. This paper provides an overview of the experiment and highlights from results obtained to date. Excellent agreement has been found between measured and calculated surface wave modulations at wavelengths from 20 to 100 cm. Internal wave signatures in SAR images at X and L band were found to have comparable magnitudes. Calculated SAR intensity modulations were in reasonable agreement with observed modulations at both radar frequencies.