YSCAT—BYU’s Dock Based Scatterometer

Authors

Brett T. Walkenhorst, Brigham Young University
Dr. David V. Arnold, Brigham Young University

Keywords

YSCAT, scatterometer, QuikScat, chirp signal

College

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Abstract

Scatterometry is a method used today to track and predict global warming, storms, and other important factors in the earth’s climate. NASA currently has a scatterometer in orbit around earth called QuikScat. There are many useful applications of scatterometry, but there are still many environmental factors that interfere with the scatterometer’s data that we don’t completely understand and can’t account for yet. For this reason, NASA is funding a research project called YSCAT, BYU’s own scatterometer. YSCAT will be deployed on a dock off the coast of southern California and will be used to collect data from the ocean waves. This data will help researchers fine tune the data processing to give more accurate results from the scatterometer. The research currently being conducted is to construct a working prototype of this radar.

Recommended Citation

Walkenhorst, Brett T. and Arnold, Dr. David V. (2013) "YSCAT—BYU’s Dock Based Scatterometer," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 1911.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1911