Numerical modeling in the problem of the mechanisms of SAR imaging of the ocean

Based on numerical modeling, we demonstrate the validity of the conclusion, drawn on the basis of theoretical analysis in [1], that the mechanism of fluctuations of the effective density of scatterers, which is commonly accepted at present as the physical basis for the space-borne SAR diagnostics of the ocean surface, actually works only in the case of a sufficiently flat swell in the absence of wind roughness. In all other cases, the dominant role is played by another mechanism, namely, fluctuations of the number of surface elements whose images are randomly shifted and superimposed due to orbital velocities. The special consideration is devoted to the case of mixed roughness comprising both wind roughness and swell. It is shown that, in contrast to long-wavelength narrow-band swell in the absence of large wind waves, the same swell in the mixed roughness is revealed in the linear manner in an SAR image.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 47, No. 9, pp. 753–760, September, 2004.     

基于小波的多极化机载合成孔径雷达海面风向反演

为了实现从合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像本身提取高精度的海面风向信息, 提高SAR海面风场反演精度,研究了多极化机载SAR海面风向反演技术, 借助小波分析相对傅里叶分析和局部梯度更精细的时-频分析能力, 将二维连续小波变换与快速傅里叶变换(FFT)相结合,提出一种新的机载SAR海面风向反演方法. 为验证反演方法的有效性,通过海上同步飞行试验获取多极化机载SAR数据及同步调查船实测风向数据,用于反演试验的数据比对.采用本文提出的方法, 利用多种小波基对机载C波段SAR的同极化和交叉极化数据进行风向反演, 将反演结果与美国国家环境预报中心再分析资料以及调查船实测风向进行比对. 结果表明,本文提出的基于小波分析的海面风向反演方法适用于机载SAR探测数据, 反演精度优于二维FFT法和局部梯度方法;小波基的选择对反演结果影响较大, Mexican-Hat小波基是机载SAR海面风向反演的最优小波基, 且同极化与交叉极化机载SAR数据均可用于海面风向的反演.     

机载C波段全极化SAR海面风矢量反演理论研究及实验验证

机载全极化SAR海面风矢量反演研究对于近海岸复杂气象条件下风矢量探测具有重要意义. 本文从极化散射理论出发,通过分析全极化SAR探测数据与海面风矢量的关系, 设计了全极化SAR海面风矢量反演方案.依据机载SAR高机动性和全极化两个探测特点, 针对VV极化探测数据,提出了基于最大似然估计的海面风矢量反演方法,并设计了飞行实验方案; 针对VH极化探测数据,提出了通过带约束最优拟合的VH极化海面散射模型反演风速, 再利用CMOD5地球物理模型函数计算风向的海面风矢量反演方法. 利用机载全极化SAR探测的台风'海葵'边缘数据,开展了海面风矢量反演实验研究. 研究结果表明,两种风矢量反演方法均可不借助辅助信息,反演复杂气象条件下的海面风矢量. 前者反演风向、风速的均方根误差分别为18.0°, 1.8 m/s, 后者反演风向、风速的均方根误差分别为9.3°, 1.2 m/s,后者的反演精度优于前者. 这是因为VH极化归一化雷达截面与风向和雷达入射角无关,仅与风速密切相关, 更适合复杂气象条件下的海面风矢量反演. 关键词： 机载全极化SAR 海面风矢量 理论研究 实验验证     

Fourth moments of acoustic waves forward scattered by a rough ocean surface

Three types of statistical fourth moments of acoustic waves forward scattered by a randomly rough ocean surface are derived and numerically evaluated. The first one is related to the scintillation index which characterizes intensity fluctuations. The second one is the two-position intensity correlation function which describes the spatial correlation of wave intensity. The third is the fourth-moment two-position coherence function which carries information on the phase fluctuations of the scattered wave. In the range of weak scattering, the ratio of the absolute value of the fourth-moment two-position coherence function over the two-position intensity correlation exactly describes the mean-square fluctuation of the relative phase between the two positions. The acoustic frequency is high so that the Kirchhoff approximation can be used. Two types of spectral functions for surface-height fluctuations are considered: a Gaussian spectrum and the Donelan-Pierson spectrum. The latter is obtained from a model for the fluctuations of the ocean surface height which are controlled by the wind speed at the ocean surface.     

Travel-time statistics for signals scattered at a rough surface

Abstract

The travel time of signals reflected or refracted by a rough surface is investigated in the geometrical optics approximation. It is shown that surface roughness typically decreases the mean travel time in the case of large-scale roughness, when only one specularly reflecting point moves randomly around its unperturbed position, resulting in a negative travel-time bias (toward early echoes). In the opposite limiting case of multipath propagation, when many specular points exist on a random surface, the travel-time bias is always positive. General results are illustrated by two examples related to ocean remote sensing which involve sound scattering from the ocean surface and bottom.     

Detection of meso-micro scale surface features based on microcanonical multifractal formalism

Synthetic aperture radar(SAR) is an effective tool to analyze the features of the ocean. In this paper, the microcanonical multifractal formalism is used to analyze SAR images to obtain meso-micro scale surface features. We use the Sobel operator to calculate the gradient of each point in the image, then operate continuous variable scale wavelet transform on this gradient matrix. The relationship between the wavelet coefficient and scale is built by linear regression. This relationship decides the singular exponents of every point in the image which contain local and global features. The manifolds in the ocean can be revealed by analyzing these exponents. The most singular manifold, which is related to the streamlines in the SAR images, can be obtained with a suitable threshold of the singular exponents. Experiments verify that application of the microcanonical multifractal formalism to SAR image analysis is effective for detecting the meso-micro scale surface information.     

A New Spectral Estimate for the SAR Image of the Ocean

We present a consistent theory of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of the ocean surface. Based on the composite model of microwave backscattering, the theory describes both the image itself and speckle noise, which is the factor preventing the interpretation of SAR imagery of the ocean. We propose a new spectral estimate, which, from the statistical viewpoint, eliminates completely speckle noise in the SAR image spectrum and does not deteriorate the SAR resolution. The new technique for estimating the spectrum is tested using the SAR data of the European satellites ERS-1 and ERS-2.     

Fourth moments of acoustic waves forward scattered by a rough ocean surface

Abstract

Three types of statistical fourth moments of acoustic waves forward scattered by a randomly rough ocean surface are derived and numerically evaluated. The first one is related to the scintillation index which characterizes intensity fluctuations. The second one is the two-position intensity correlation function which describes the spatial correlation of wave intensity. The third is the fourth-moment two-position coherence function which carries information on the phase fluctuations of the scattered wave. In the range of weak scattering, the ratio of the absolute value of the fourth-moment two-position coherence function over the two-position intensity correlation exactly describes the mean-square fluctuation of the relative phase between the two positions. The acoustic frequency is high so that the Kirchhoff approximation can be used. Two types of spectral functions for surface-height fluctuations are considered: a Gaussian spectrum and the Donelan-Pierson spectrum. The latter is obtained from a model for the fluctuations of the ocean surface height which are controlled by the wind speed at the ocean surface.     

分形粗糙面合成孔径雷达成像研究

研究了分形粗糙面的成像问题. 分形粗糙面能够较好的逼近真实环境, 采用带限形式的Weierstrass-Mandelbrot函数建立了分形粗糙面几何模型, 对分形粗糙面参数的选取进行了讨论. 对大尺度粗糙面散射问题提出了一种基于大面元的Kirchhoff近似方法, 采用面元模型来计算粗糙面总的后向散射场以及每一个面元的后向散射场, 并对面元的尺寸选取进行了研究, 通过与解析解进行对比证明了该方法的正确性. 在分形理论建立的确定性粗糙面几何模型与面元的Kirchhoff方法获取的散射场的基础上, 采用正侧视条带式成像模式, 并选用距离多普勒算法对不同分形参数的粗糙面进行合成孔径雷达(SAR) 成像模拟, 结果显示从SAR像中可以清晰地观察到不同分形参数对粗糙面几何轮廓的影响. 该研究包括了从环境模型、电磁模型到SAR成像技术在内的完整的分形环境SAR像模拟过程, 仿真结果显示出分形环境的SAR像特点, 这对基于分形理论的自然环境的遥感探测以及参数反演具有一定的理论支撑作用.     

C波段机载合成孔径雷达海面风场反演新方法

针对基于散射计地球物理模型函数的机载合成孔径雷达(SAR)海面风场反演中存在的风向获取依赖于图像风条纹或数值预报、 散射计数据和浮标等背景场资料, 风向与SAR图像时空分辨率不匹配, 进而影响机载SAR海面风场反演精度等问题, 本文根据机载SAR对海探测特点, 研究一种适用于C波段机载SAR的海面风场反演新方法. 利用SAR图像距离向不同入射角的后向散射系数, 依据地球物理模型构造最小代价函数, 通过代价函数的求解直接从机载SAR数据同时反演出海面风速和风向. 利用论文提出的海面风场反演方法分别对仿真SAR数据和实测C波段机载SAR数据进行风向、 风速的反演误差分析及试验验证.研究结果表明, 该方法适用于机载SAR海面风场反演, 可不依赖背景风向直接反演出精度较高的风速和风向; 雷达后向散射系数误差是决定海面风速、风向反演精度的关键因素, 辐射定标精度越高则反演误差越小; 海面风速反演误差随着风速的提高而增大, 当海面风速大于18 m/s时, 风速反演误差显著增加, 而海面风向的反演误差与风速无明显关系. 关键词： 机载合成孔径雷达 海面风场 多入射角     

Positive and negative sawtooth signals applied to a DBD plasma actuator – influence on the electric wind

The influence of the electric signal shape applied to a surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuator is investigated in order to optimise the produced electric wind. This report also gives insights on the mechanisms involved in the electro-fluido-dynamic (EFD) operated by actuators based on atmospheric non-thermal discharges in air. The parameters of the electric signal that maximises the produced electric wind in quiescent air are investigated with a positive and negative sawtooth waveforms. The induced airflow properties are observed with a particle image velocimetry (PIV) set-up. The positive sawtooth waveform results in a more filamentary discharge and generates an electric wind with maximum velocities close to the active air exposed electrode. This contrasts with the negative sawtooth waveform that does not create as many filaments and induces electric wind velocities more homogeneously distributed along the dielectric surface. Even though the velocities values are of the same order, the shape of the vortex generated above the air exposed electrode is very dependant on the waveform.     

Accuracy Estimate for Determination of the Near-Surface Wind Velocity Using the SAR Ocean Image Spectrum

Numerical modeling of the SAR image of wind waves propagating azimuthally is performed for various wind velocities. It is shown that if the wind is relatively weak (up to 10 m/s), then the position of the image-spectrum maximum is a fairly sensitive parameter, such that the accuracy of the respective wind-velocity measurement technique for these wind velocities should be 1 m/s or less for a high spatial resolution. Under conditions of stronger wind, the sensitivity decreases; however, more definite results for the stronger-wind domain can be obtained only experimentally. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 6, pp. 472–477, June 2005.     

Light reflection from a rough liquid surface including wind-wave effects in a scattering atmosphere

Visible and near-IR images of the ocean surface, taken from remote satellites, often contain important information of near-surface or sub-surface processes, which occur on, or over the ocean. Remote measurements of near surface winds, sea surface temperature and salinity, ocean color and underwater bathymetry, all, one way or another, depend on how well we understand sea surface roughness. However, in order to extract useful information from our remote measurements, we need to construct accurate models of the transfer of solar radiation inside the atmosphere as well as, its reflection from the sea surface. To approach this problem, we numerically solve the radiative transfer equation (RTE) by implementing a model for the atmosphere-ocean system. A one-dimensional atmospheric radiation model is solved via the widely known doubling and adding method and the ocean body is treated as a boundary condition to the problem. The ocean surface is modeled as a rough liquid surface which includes wind interaction and wave states, such as wave age. The model can have possible applications to the retrieval of wind and wave states, such as wave age, near a Sun glint region.     

Phase fluctuations of focused low-frequency sound fields in shallow water

Numerical experiments are carried out to study the phase fluctuations of a focused low-frequency sound field on an oceanic shelf. The focusing of sound at a distance of several kilometers is simulated using the phase conjugation of sound waves. Perturbations of the medium are represented by high-frequency (>1 cph) background internal waves and by the wind waves on the ocean surface. It is shown that, for a focused sound field at frequencies of several hundreds of hertz, the phase fluctuations do not exceed π and can be measured against the background of acoustic noise typical of shallow-water regions of the ocean. The fluctuation magnitude can be reduced approximately by half through the optimal choice of the mode composition. In the presence of such fluctuations, it is possible to measure the relative variations of the length of a stationary acoustic path with an accuracy of 1 m or better at a wind speed no greater than 10 m/s and a typical intensity of background internal waves.     

Digital simulation of random processes and its applications

Efficient methods are presented for digital simulation of a general homogeneous process (multidimensional or multivariate or multivariate-multidimensional) as a series of cosine functions with weighted amplitudes, almost evenly spaced frequencies, and random phase angles. The approach is also extended to the simulation of a general non-homogeneous oscillatory process characterized by an evolutionary power spectrum. Generalized forces involved in the modal analysis of linear or non-linear structures can be efficiently simulated as a multivariate process using the cross-spectral density matrix computed from the spectral density function of the multidimensional excitation process. Possible applications include simulation of (i) wind-induced ocean wave elevation, (ii) spatial random variation of material properties, (iii) the fluctuating part of atmospheric wind velocities and (iv) random surface roughness of highways and airport runways.     

Electromagnetic backscattering from one-dimensional drifting fractal sea surface Ⅱ:Electromagnetic backscattering model

Sea surface current has a significant influence on electromagnetic(EM) backscattering signals and may constitute a dominant synthetic aperture radar(SAR) imaging mechanism. An effective EM backscattering model for a one-dimensional drifting fractal sea surface is presented in this paper. This model is used to simulate EM backscattering signals from the drifting sea surface. Numerical results show that ocean currents have a significant influence on EM backscattering signals from the sea surface. The normalized radar cross section(NRCS) discrepancies between the model for a coupled wavecurrent fractal sea surface and the model for an uncoupled fractal sea surface increase with the increase of incidence angle,as well as with increasing ocean currents. Ocean currents that are parallel to the direction of the wave can weaken the EM backscattering signal intensity, while the EM backscattering signal is intensified by ocean currents propagating oppositely to the wave direction. The model presented in this paper can be used to study the SAR imaging mechanism for a drifting sea surface.     

On the Influence of Asymmetry of Short Wind Waves on Statistical Characteristics of the Sea-Surface Image in Diffuse Sky Light

We develop an optical model of imaging of wind roughness on a sea surface in diffuse sky light with allowance for bound waves (parasitic capillary ripple) on the front slope of decimeter gravity waves. It is found that in the case of oblique observation, free and bound waves give different contribution to the statistical characteristics of the image of a rough sea surface.     

Ocean dynamic noise energy flux directivity in the 400 Hz to 700 Hz frequency band

Results of field studies of underwater dynamic noise energy flux directivity at two wind speeds, 6 m/s and 12 m/s, in the 400 Hz to 700 Hz frequency band in the deep open ocean are presented. The measurements were made by a freely drifting telemetric combined system at 500 m depth. Statistical characteristics of the horizontal and vertical dynamic noise energy flux directivity are considered as functions of wind speed and direction. Correlation between the horizontal dynamic noise energy flux direction and that of the wind was determined; a mechanism of the horizontal dynamic noise energy flux generation is related to the initial noise field scattering on ocean surface waves.     

New expressions for the surface roughness length and displacement height in the atmospheric boundary layer

An alternative model for the prediction of surface roughness length is developed. In the model a new factor is introduced to compensate for the effects of wake diffusion and interactions between the wake and roughness obstacles. The experiments are carried out by the use of the hot wire anemometry in the simulated atmospheric boundary layer in a wind tunnel. Based on the experimental data, a new expression for the zero-plane displacement height is proposed for the square arrays of roughness elements, which highlights the influence of free-stream speed on the roughness length. It appears that the displacement height increases with the wind speed while the surface roughness length decreases with Reynolds number increasing. It is shown that the calculation results based on the new expressions are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.     

Reynolds number effects on flow/acoustic mechanisms in spherical windscreens

There is a practical need to fully understand the mechanisms involved in the flow/pressure fluctuations around a screened microphone. A stream of uniform flow with low-frequency turbulence encountering a rigid, impermeable spherical windscreen is considered in this study. Pressure distributions on the surface of the sphere are determined by the flow structure. Pressure fluctuations at the center of the sphere are then calculated based on the integration of surface pressure distributions. Because of the low-frequency assumption, results from steady-state laminar flows can be used to investigate the Reynolds number effects on wind noise reduction. Three types of flow have been studied in this paper: an inviscid case, a low-Reynolds-number Stokes flow, and intermediate- and high-Reynolds-number flows. A Reynolds-number/wind-noise-reduction correlation shows that the wind noise reduction increases with decreasing Reynolds number.