scatterometer

By admin_wla | Tue, 4 Feb 2014 - 12:13
A high-frequency radar instrument that transmits pulses of energy towards the ocean and measures the backscatter from the ocean surface. It detects wind speed and direction over the oceans by analyzing the backscatter from the small wind-induced ripples on the surface of the water. Source: NASA (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Glossary)