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Development and validation of an ocean wave retrieval algorithm for VV-polarization Sentinel-1 SAR data

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Abstract

The purpose is to study the accuracy of ocean wave parameters retrieved from C-band VV-polarization Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, including both significant wave height (SWH) and mean wave period (MWP), which are both calculated from a SAR-derived wave spectrum. The wind direction from in situ buoys is used and then the wind speed is retrieved by using a new C-band geophysical model function (GMF) model, denoted as C-SARMOD. Continuously, an algorithm parameterized first-guess spectra method (PFSM) is employed to retrieve the SWH and the MWP by using the SAR-derived wind speed. Forty–five VV-polarization Sentinel-1 SAR images are collected, which cover the in situ buoys around US coastal waters. A total of 52 subscenes are selected from those images. The retrieval results are compared with the measurements from in situ buoys. The comparison performs good for a wind retrieval, showing a 1.6 m/s standard deviation (STD) of the wind speed, while a 0.54 m STD of the SWH and a 2.14 s STD of the MWP are exhibited with an acceptable error. Additional 50 images taken in China’s seas were also implemented by using the algorithm PFSM, showing a 0.67 m STD of the SWH and a 2.21 s STD of the MWP compared with European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis grids wave data. The results indicate that the algorithm PFSM works for the wave retrieval from VV-polarization Sentinel-1 SAR image through SAR-derived wind speed by using the new GMF C-SARMOD.

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Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the European Space Agency to provide freely accessible Sentinel-1 SAR images through https://scihub.copernicus.eu. The wind and wave measurements from in situ buoy were collected at http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/. ECMWF reanalysis wind and wave data were openly accessed from http://www. ecmwf.int. The views, opinions, and findings contained in this paper are those of the authors and should not be construed as an official NOAA or US Government position, policy or decision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316000, China

    Bo Lin, Weizeng Shao, Xiaoqing Du, Qiyan Ji & Lina Cai

  2. Global Science and Technology, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), College Park, Maryland, 20740, USA

    Xiaofeng Li

  3. National Marine Data and Information Service, State Oceanic Administration, Tianjin, 300171, China

    Huan Li

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  1. Bo Lin
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  2. Weizeng Shao
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  3. Xiaofeng Li
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  4. Huan Li
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  5. Xiaoqing Du
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  6. Qiyan Ji
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  7. Lina Cai
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Correspondence to Weizeng Shao.

Additional information

Foundation item: The Public Welfare Technical Applied Research Project of Zhejiang Province of China under contract No. 2015C31021; the National Key Research and Development Program of China under contract No. 2016YFC1401605; the Scientific Foundation of Zhejiang Ocean University of China.

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Lin, B., Shao, W., Li, X. et al. Development and validation of an ocean wave retrieval algorithm for VV-polarization Sentinel-1 SAR data. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 36, 95–101 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-017-1089-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-017-1089-9

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