Breaking Waves pp 103-108 | Cite as

Microwave Backscattering from Laboratory Wind-Wave Surfaces and its Relation to Wave Breaking with Bubble Entrainment

  • N. Ebuchi
  • H. Kawamura
  • Y. Toba
Conference paper
Part of the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics book series (IUTAM)

Abstract

Microwave backscattering from wind-wave surfaces in a wind wave tank is investigated by using an x-band (9.6 GHz) scatterometer. It is found that intensity of the backscattered signature is in phase with the surface displacement. Variation of the Doppler velocity also corresponds to the phase of the individual waves. High Doppler velocity observed at the crests of the individual waves coincides with the propagating speed of the crests. It is concluded that the fine structures of wind-wave surfaces, which are trapped near the crests and are propagating with the crests, mainly contribute to microwave backscattering. It is also shown that the wave breaking with bubble entrainment does not increase the microwave backscattering under the conditions of the present experiment. (This paper is an extended abstract. This study will be published in full elsewhere.)

Keywords

Turbulent Boundary Layer Wind Wave Surface Displacement Wave Breaking Doppler Velocity 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • N. Ebuchi
    • 1
  • H. Kawamura
    • 1
  • Y. Toba
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Geophysics, Faculty of ScienceTohoku UniversitySendai 980Japan

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