Radar Imaging of the Ocean Waves

Introduction1. Preliminary notes on radar imaging 2. Description of the sea surface 2.1. Sea wave spectra. General relationships2.2. Gravity wave spectra2.3. Gravity-capillary wave spectra2.4. Realistic ocean surface and its features3. Sea scattering of radio waves3.1. Sea water dielectric constant and electromagnetic penetration depth3.2. Resonant scattering3.2.1. HF scattering and HF radars3.2.2. Microwave scattering. Two-scale model of the sea surface3.3. Backscattering at small incidence angles3.3.1. Radar cross section at small incidence angles3.3.2. Doppler spectrum at small incidence angle3.4. Backscattering at low grazing angles4. Microwave Doppler spectrum at moderate incidence angles5. Real aperture side-looking radar5.1. Correlation function of backscattered signal intensity5.2. Spatial spectrum of signal intensity slow fluctuations5.3. Fast fluctuations of the signal (speckle noise)5.4. Inhomogeneous roughness imaging6. Synthetic aperture radar6.1. Preliminary estimates6.2. SAR image correlation function. General relationships6.3. Intensity of the SAR signal forming the "image-itself"6.4. Spectrum of the SAR image of the ocean6.5. SAR imaging mechanisms6.5.1. Influence of subresolution velocities6.5.2. Velocity bunching mechanism. Linear and quasi-linear approximations6.5.3. Nonlinear velocity bunching mechanism6.5.4. SAR imaging of the mixed sea6.6. Speckle noise in the SAR image of the ocean surface6.7. Modified spectral estimate for the SAR image of the ocean6.8. Peculiarities of the SAR imagery of the ocean surface6.8.1. SAR imaging of near-shore areas6.8.2. Peculiarities of SAR imaging of ships and slicks6.8.3. SAR as a tool for measurements of the near-surface wind speed7. Advanced radars and ocean surface imaging7.1. SAR Interferometry and remote sensing of the ocean surface7.2. Polarimetric radars and the problem of remote sensing of the ocean surfaceAppendix AAppendix BAppendix CReferences