Abstract

RapidScat 2.5 km ultrahigh resolution (UHR) wind estimation is introduced and validated it in near-coastal regions. In addition, this thesis applies direction interval retrieval techniques and develops a new wind processing method to enhance the performance of RapidScat UHR wind estimation in the nadir region. The new algorithm is validated with L2B wind estimates, Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) wind products, and buoy measurements. The wind processing improvements produce more spatially consistent UHR winds that compare well with the wind products mentioned above. Hawaii regional climate model (HRCM), QuikSCAT, and ASCAT wind estimates are compared in the lee of the Big Island with the goal of understanding UHR scatterometer wind retrieval capabilities in this area. UHR wind vectors better resolve fine resolution wind speed features compared to L2B, but still do not resolve the expected wind direction features. A comparison of scatterometer measured σ 0 and HRCM and NWP predicted σ 0 suggests that scatterometers can detect a reverse flow in the lee of the island. Differences between scatterometer measured σ 0 and HRCM predicted σ 0 indicate error in the placement of key reverse flow features by the model. Coarse initialization fields and a large fixed size median filter window are also shown to impede UHR wind retrieval in this area.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology; Electrical and Computer Engineering

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2019-12-05

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd11755

Keywords

Scatterometer, Remote Sensing, RapidScat, QuikSCAT, ASCAT, Hawaii, Near-Coastal, Ultrahigh Resolution

Language

english

Included in

Engineering Commons

Share

COinS