L band SAR ocean wave observations during Marsen

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Abstract
The L Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was flown over the Nordsee tower during the Marine Remote Sensing Experiment (MARSEN). The five‐sided flight pattern allowed viewing of the same ocean surface patch from five different directions. The results form a unique and useful base which is needed for evaluating existing wave imaging theories and developing more realistic models. The results derived from analysis of radar and in situ measurements suggest that (1) the focus dependence for optimum imaging is that for a surface moving with a speed that is approximately equal to the wave phase velocity, (2) azimuthally traveling waves can be as visible as range traveling waves when the necessary focus adjustments are made in the SAR processor, (3) visibility of azimuthally traveling waves does not improve with decreasing integration time, (4) spectra and images of azimuthally traveling waves do not show observable distortions compared to those for range traveling waves, and (5) comparisons of SAR image spectra for September 28, 1979, with in situ wave height spectra suggest that for a multi‐peaked wave system the SAR image spectrum and surface wave height spectrum are not connected by a simple relationship.