Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Ocean Wind Speed Climatology from Spaceborne SAR Imagery

Frank M. Monaldo The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland

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Xiaofeng Li GST at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, Maryland

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William G. Pichel National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, Maryland

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Christopher R. Jackson Global Ocean Associates, Alexandria, Virginia

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Print Publication:
01 Apr 2014
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00165.1
Page(s):
565–569
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Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery can make high-resolution (≤500 m) ocean wind speed measurements. The authors anticipate reprocessing the full decade and a half of Radarsat-1 SAR imagery and generating a SAR wind speed archive. These data will be of use for studies of coastal atmospheric phenomena and assessment of offshore wind power potential. To illustrate the potential of this latter application, they review the ability of SARs to measure wind speed, discuss an approach for using SARs to create wind speed climatologies useful for wind power resource assessments, and consider issues concerning the applicably of such data for these assessments.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Frank M. Monaldo, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, E-mail: frank.monaldo@jhuapl.edu

Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery can make high-resolution (≤500 m) ocean wind speed measurements. The authors anticipate reprocessing the full decade and a half of Radarsat-1 SAR imagery and generating a SAR wind speed archive. These data will be of use for studies of coastal atmospheric phenomena and assessment of offshore wind power potential. To illustrate the potential of this latter application, they review the ability of SARs to measure wind speed, discuss an approach for using SARs to create wind speed climatologies useful for wind power resource assessments, and consider issues concerning the applicably of such data for these assessments.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Frank M. Monaldo, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, E-mail: frank.monaldo@jhuapl.edu
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