But a new light is being shed on these analyses by using neglected extra information embedded in the radar signal: the Doppler shift in electromagnetic waves reflected from the water surface. This shift occurs due to changing relative velocities, experienced in everyday life in the way the pitch of a siren on a passing ambulance goes up as it approaches, then goes down as the vehicle recedes away. This 'Doppler Effect' also serves as the basis of police speed-measuring radar guns.

In this instance, the shift is introduced by the relative motion between the satellite platform, the rotation of the Earth and the velocity of the particular facets of the sea surface from which the SAR signal scatters back to orbit. The initial two values are well known particularly for Envisat, with its very stable satellite orbit and attitude and can be simply subtracted to extract the useful sea surface velocity information.

"This surface velocity, in turn, is composed of contributions from the wind-wave induced motion, and the background surface current," Johannessen added. "Following the Doppler shift equation an estimate of the surface current can be obtained, providing the contributions from wave- and wind-induced motion are first quantified and removed. It is here that the Radar Imaging Model (RIM) comes in."

The RIM is a numerical model that combines outputs from specialised high-resolution ocean models with fundamental equations for SAR imaging of ocean current features and simulate appropriate radar cross section signatures. RIM outputs provide both wave- and wind-induced ocean surface motion for subtraction.

"Our ability to interpret and quantify surface current features imaged by SAR has not been adequately developed," Joha
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Contact: Mariangela D'Acunto
mariangela.dacunto@esa.int
39-069-418-0856
European Space Agency
27-Mar-2006