Error of Altimetric Determination of the Wind Speed over the Ocean, Caused by Dominant Waves

Abstract

The analysis of the error in the restoration of wind speed according to altimetry measurements is performed. For analysis, a spectral model of the field of surface waves was used. The model takes into account changes in the field of surface waves at different stages of its development. A factor that reduces the accuracy of measurements is the ambiguity of the relationship between wind speed and the variation of slopes created by long waves. It is shown that when sounding in the C band of radio waves, the error in measuring wind speed is about 2 times higher than when sounding in the Ku band. It is also shown that at a wind speed of less than 15 m/s, the influence of long waves on the accuracy of altimetry measurements of wind speed can be neglected. At a wind speed of 30 m/s, estimates of wind speed obtained from altimetry measurements may vary by 0.57 m/s when probing in the C range, and by 0.27 m/s when probing in the Ku range.