Focusing effects in the synthetic aperture radar imaging of ocean waves

We derive the properties of the image obtained for an ocean wave whose cross-section may be given byσ _w(x,y,y) and surface profile byh(x,y,t).σ _w andh are functions representing the wave phenomena, but whose exact properties are determined by the ocean wave surface properties, for an ocean wavelength ofλ _w, heightH, and orbital frequency ω. We calculate the effect of defocusing of the wave image due to its temporal motion, and derive both the resolution of the radar system if no focus compensation is provided in the processor and the necessary distance the azimuth telescope has to be moved to provide diffraction-limited imaging. We illustrate these results for data taken by the JPL synthetic aperture radar over Hurricane Gloria on September 30, 1976, and the ERIM radar over Marineland, Florida, on December 15, 1975. This paper presents the results of one phase of research carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under Contract NAS 7-100, sponsored by the special programs office and the Seesat program office under Mr. F.C. Williams and Mr. S.W. McCandless of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.