Polarization ratio for microwave backscattering from the ocean surface at low to moderate incidence angles

Abstract

It has become apparent that as the incidence angle increases from nadir, the ratio of the backscattered power for microwave scattering from the ocean surface at horizontal to that at vertical polarization (HH/VV) becomes larger than that predicted by standard rough-surface scattering models. Although predictions by models that include the effects of long-wave tilt and hydrodynamic modulation yield some improvement, they still underpredict the backscattered power by a factor of two or more. The authors believe that this discrepancy may be partially explained by a more exact treatment of the non-linearity of the long-wave portion of the surface.