Considerations for Microwave Remote Sensing of Ocean-Surface Salinity

Parametric calculations of the microwave emission from the ocean surface are presented to determine the optimum electromagnetic wavelength for measuring salinity. At 800 MHz, a target accuracy of 240 parts per million is within the state of the art provided that emission due to surface roughness is negligible, or correctable, and that the error resulting from galactic radiation can be removed using an upward-looking antenna. Examples of salinity measurements relevant to physical oceanography are presented, and a possible spacecraft University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003.system is discussed.

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