Comparison of wind data from QuikSCAT and buoys in the Indian Ocean

The performance of QuikSCAT‐derived wind vectors is evaluated using in‐situ data from moored buoys over the Indian Ocean. The results show that the mean differences for wind speed and wind direction are 0.37 ms−1 and 5.8°, root mean square deviations are 1.57 ms−1 and 44.1° and corresponding coefficients of correlation are 0.87 and 0.75, respectively. The matching between in‐situ and satellite estimates seems to be better in the North Indian Ocean than in the Equatorial Indian Ocean. The effects of sea surface temperature and air–sea temperature difference on wind residuals were also investigated. In general, QuikSCAT is found to overestimate the winds. It is speculated that low wind speed during rain‐free conditions and high wind speed, normally associated with rain, may be the reason for the less accurate estimation of the wind vector from QuikSCAT over the Indian Ocean.

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