grssnewshome.html Editor · 2013. 6. 18. · Editor’s Comments This issue features three main...

Cumulative Issue #132 September 2004 ISSN 0161-7869

http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/grss/newsletter/grssnewshome.html Editor: Adriano Camps

2 IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Newsletter • September 2004

Table of Contents

IEEE GRS-S ADCom, Officers and Committee Chairs .....................2

Editor’s Comments...........................3

President’s Message.........................3

Editorial Board Members .................4

AdCom Members............................5

Chapters and Contact Information....6

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILERetrievals and Applications of RemoteSensing Information fromMultidisciplinary Researches .............7

UNIVERSITY PROFILEEducation in Remote Sensing at theInternational Space University ........11

TUTORIALSatellite Scatterometer Wind VectorMeasurements - the Legacy of theSeasat Satellite Scatterometer.........18

Call for Papers - The EOS AuraMission ............................................32

RADAR 2004 ...................................33

Obituary for Dr. Chang.....................34

Urban 2005 / URS 2005 .................34

Call for GRS-S Major AwardNominations.....................................35

Upcoming Conferences.....................36

Notice to PotentialAdvertisers The IEEE GRS-S Newsletter publishes paidadvertisements for job openings, shortcourses, products, and services which are ofinterest to the GRS-S membership. The ratesfor advertisements published in theNewsletter are:

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Postal Information and Copyright NoticeIEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Newsletter (ISSN 0161-7869) is published quarterly by theGeoscience and Remote Sensing Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.,Headquarters: 3 Park Avenue, 17th floor, New York, NY 10016-5997. $1.00 per member per year(included in Society fee) for each member of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Soc.. Printed inU.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Sendaddress changes to IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Newsletter, IEEE, 445 Hoes Lane,Piscataway, NJ 08854.© 2004 IEEE. Permission to copy without fee all or part of any material without a copyright notice isgranted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, and thetitle of the publication and its date appear on each copy. To copy material with a copyright noticerequires special permission. Please direct all inquiries or requests to the IEEE Copyrights Manager.IEEE Customer Service Phone: +1 732 981 1393, Fax:+1 732 981 9667.

IEEE GRS-S AdCom, Officers and CommitteeChairs – 2004 GRS-29 (Division IX)

Newsletter Input and Deadlines The following is the schedule for the GRS-S Newsletter. If you would like to con-tribute an article, please submit your input according to this schedule. Input ispreferred in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect or ASCII for IBM format (please senddisk and hard copy) as IEEE now uses electronic publishing. Other word process-ing formats, including those for Macintosh, are also acceptable, however, pleasebe sure to identify the format on the disk and include the hard copy.

GRS-S Newsletter ScheduleMonth June Sept Dec MarchInput April 15 July 15 Oct 15 Jan 15

PresidentAlbin J. Gasiewski

Executive Vice PresidentLeung Tsang

SecretaryThomas J. Jackson

Vice President of TechnicalActivitiesPaul Smits

Vice President of Meetingsand SymposiaMelba M. Crawford

Vice President of Operationsand FinanceKaren M. St. Germain

Vice President of ProfessionalActivitiesKamal Sarabandi

Past PresidentsWerner WiesbeckCharles A. Luther

Director of FinanceJames A. Gatlin

Director of EducationGranville E. Paules III

AwardsWerner Wiesbeck

Chapter ActivitiesSteven C. Reising

Conference CoordinationAlberto Moreira

Constitution and Bylaws

Kiyo Tomiyasu

Fellows EvaluationDavid G. Goodenough

Fellows SearchDavid M. LeVine

GRS-S Letters EditorWilliam J. Emery

MembershipAnthony K. Milne

Newsletter EditorAdriano J. Camps

NominationsMartti T. Hallikainen

Public Relations/PublicityDavid Weissman

Standards and MetricJames Randa

Strategic PlanningAndrew J. Blanchard

Transactions EditorJon A. Benediktsson

IGARSS 2003 ChairDidier Massonnet

IGARSS 2004 ChairVerne H. Kaupp

IGARSS 2005 ChairWooil M. Moon

IGARSS 2006 Co-ChairsV. ChandrasekarAlbin J. Gasiewski

IGARSS 2007 Chair

Ignasi Corbella

PACEPaul E. Racette

Social Implications ofTechnologyKeith Raney

2004 AdCom MembersAndrew J. BlanchardAlbin J. GasiewskiThomas J. JacksonAnthony K. MilneGranville E. PaulesDavid Weissman

2005 AdCom MembersMelba M. CrawfordWilliam B. GailDavid G. GoodenoughKaren St. GermainSteven C. ReisingPaul Smits

2006 AdCom MembersEllsworth LeDrewLeung TsangMartti T. HallikainenDavid M. LeVineCharles A. LutherAlberto Moreira Kamal Sarabandi

Honorary Life MembersKeith R. CarverKiyo TomiyasuFawwaz T. Ulaby

Editor’s Comments

This issue features three main article profiles:• an Organizational Profile from the Key Laboratory of Wave

Scattering and Remote Sensing Information, at the FudanUniversity where Drs. Ya-Qiu Jin, Yanqiu Chen, and ZongminWu describe the research activities of their laboratory,

• a University Profile describing the curricula of theInternational Space University, by Prof. François

Becker, Prof. John Farrow and Mr. Miguel MañasBarros, and

• a tutorial where Profs. Richard Moore and W. L. Jones,make a very interesting review on the history and theapplications of satellite scatterometry for wind vectormeasurements. This issue includes an orbituary for Dr. Chang, who recent-

ly passed away. Dr. Chang is very well recognized for his con-tributions in the field of microwave radiometry.

I am very glad to see the consolidation of thetutorial/review section, and in future issues we will coverother topics of general interest. I hope that the Student profileinaugurated in the June 04 issue will take off as well.

In the equator of my term as editor of this Newsletter, Iwould like to invite you once again to contribute to this–our– Newsletter. If you want to volunteer reviewing abook, contribute with a tutorial, a profile of your University,organization, or student association in the field of RemoteSensing, or just report on any of the interesting ideas pre-sented and discussed during our IGARSS ’04, please do nothesitate to contact the members of our editorial board. Wewill be glad to help you reach our community.

Adriano Camps, EditorDepartment of Signal Theortyand CommunicationsPolytechnic University ofCataloniaUPC Campus Nord, D4-016E-08034 Barcelona, SPAINTEL: (34)-934.016.085FAX:

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Newsletter • September 2004 3

Message from the President

At the risk of preaching to the choir, I’d like to begin thismessage by stating what would seem to be an obvious tenet, thatis, it is only increasingly clear that the complex environmentalprocesses that condition our existence need to be measured,understood, modeled, and predicted in order to ensure our longterm livelihood. Although few within our ranks would disputethis statement we might ask the question of how individualsaround the globe - our true constituents who support virtually allof our work - perceive the business of the GRS-S. With growing

mandates to provide tangible benefits from public investmentsin science and technology the broad perception of our workimpacts our own potential for success.

We might first ask how people perceive the potential impactof the environment on both their individual and collective liveli-hoods. Since the dawn of humankind there has been a keeninterest in the geophysical environment and its impact on indi-vidual livelihood. Such interest underlies long-standing sub-scription to books such as the Farmers’ Almanac, a compendi-um that condenses centuries of environmental observations intoempirical models to provide agriculturists with some means ofbeating the odds in the face of environmental uncertainty. Goingback further, one can point to the deification of environmentalforces in the likes of gods and rulers such as Poseiden, Aeolus,Neptune, and Wotan. Much as one can say that “all politics arelocal,” so it can be said that interest in environmental impact isto a great extent local.

Interest in environmental impact on collective livelihoods,however, seems to be more recent. To be sure, such interest isalso evident in antiquity, for example, in the biblical accounts offloods, droughts, and plagues. Nonetheless, it seems to haverecently been spurred by literary accounts of extreme weather(e.g., The Perfect Storm, Isaac’s Storm) and retrospective studiesand depictions of climate change (The Little Ice Age, The Day

Dr. Albin J. GasiewskiPresident, IEEE GRSSNOAA EnvironmentalTechnology Lab325 Broadway R/ET1Boulder, CO 80305-3328,USAPhone: 303-497-7275E-Mail:[email protected]

continued on page 4

Cover InformationLand surface moisture deviation from the 6Y mean value in August 2002. See Organization Profile article for details.


Message from the Presidentcontinued from page 3

After Tomorrow). I suspect that comparable works focusing onthe impacts of biodiversity loss and the availability of raw mate-rials and fuel in a complex and growing world economy are alsoin the offing, but perhaps less sensational. The concerns expressedin these works are justifiable considering that the well being oflarge populations are increasingly dependent on the global (asopposed to local) environment. One can easily ascribe this shift independency to economic globalization and the large-scale pursuitof limited natural resources. While the early predictions of theClub of Rome have been deferred, one cannot but help recognizethat the bases for the Club’s concerns have not dissipated.

Suppose that you were provided a chance two-minute “eleva-tor meeting” with an industry captain, legislator, or public figureto whom you could promote the work of the Society. What canbe said about remote sensing? About GRS-S? About IEEE? Suchoccasions are an opportunity to remind our public leaders aboutthe key role we play as geoscientists and engineers. Our Societyis central to understanding and prediction of environmentalimpact by way of offering innovations in observing (by remotemeans) a wide array of environmental phenomena – both natur-al and anthropogenic – and providing this information to adiverse set of users. Our interests span the spectrum of applica-tions from resource development and management to environ-mental science and prediction to education – although I wouldhesitate to claim that this terse description covers all of our mem-bers’ interests. We might all pause to reflect on how we eachspecifically contribute to the public welfare and how best to con-vey these notions in a few brief and memorable words.

For example, one of the latest ways in which GRS-S and itssister IEEE Societies contribute is through the internationalGroup on Earth Observations (GEO). At the second EarthObservation Summit in Tokyo, in April 2004, the IEEE was for-mally recognized by the GEO as a participating organization inthe development of the Global Earth Observation “System ofSystems” (GEOSS). To coordinate IEEE activities for GEO theIEEE Technical Activities Board approved in June the formationof an ad-hoc IEEE-wide Committee on Earth Observations(CEO). The goals of GEO are exceptionally broad, and can great-ly benefit from input from a variety of EE subdisciplines. Hence,GEO involvement is truly an IEEE-wide effort. I invite you tocontact Dr. Jay Pearlman, chair of the IEEE CEO, Dr. ThomasWiener, OES President, or any of the GRS-S TechnicalCommittee chairs for information on how to participate.

One final note: I am pleased to say that we have two highly-respected Society members, Charles Luther, our GRS-S immedi-ate Past-President, and Russell Lefevre, AESS Past-President, onthe slate this fall as candidates for IEEE Director-Elect ofDivision IX. Both of these individuals are dedicated leaders with-in our profession, and can be anticipated to support both ourSociety and our other application-oriented sister Societies withinDivision IX. I encourage you to cast your ballots this fall!

Adriano Camps, EditorDepartment of Signal Theory andCommunicationsPolytechnic University of CataloniaUPC Campus Nord, D4-016E-08034 Barcelona, SPAINTEL: (34)-934.016.085FAX: (34)-934.017.232E-mail: [email protected]

David B. Kunkee, Associate Editor forOrganizational and Industrial ProfilesRadar and Signal Systems Department The Aerospace CorporationPO Box 92957 MS M4-927Los Angeles, CA 90009-2957TEL: 310-336-1125FAX: 310-563-1132E-mail: [email protected]

Stephen J. Frasier, Associate Editor forUniversity ProfilesDepartment of Electrical and ComputerEngineering113D Knowles Engineering BuildingUniversity of MassachusettsAmherst, MA 01003-4410TEL: 413-545-4582FAX: 413-545-4652E-mail: [email protected]

Yoshio Yamaguchi, Associate Editor for AsianAffairsDept. of Information EngineeringFaculty of Engineering, Niigata University2-8050, Ikarashi, Niigata 950-2181 JAPANTEL: (81) 25-262-6752FAX: (81) 25-262-6752E-mail: [email protected]

Sonia C. Gallegos, Associate Editor for LatinAmerican AffairsNaval Research LaboratoryOcean Sciences Branch, OceanographyDivisionStennis Space Center, MS 39529, USATEL: 228-688-4867FAX: 228-688-4149E-mail: [email protected]

Tariro Charakupa-Chingono, Associate Editorfor African AffairsInstitute for Environmental Studies, Universityof ZimbabweBox 1438, Kwekwe, ZimbabweTEL: 263 04 860321/33FAX: 263 4 860350/1 E-mail: [email protected]

Newsletter Editorial Board Members:


Dr. Albin J. GasiewskiPresident, IEEE GRSSNOAA Environmental Technology Lab325 Broadway R/ET1Boulder, CO 80305-3328, USAPhone: 303-497-7275E-Mail: [email protected]. Leung TsangExecutive VP, IEEE GRSSCity University of Hong KongDept. of Electronic Engineering83, Tat Chee Ave.Kowloon, Hong Kong, CHINAPhone: 852-2788 9399E-Mail: [email protected]. Thomas J. JacksonSecretary, IEEE-GRSSUSDA-ARS Hydrology and RemoteSensing Lab104 Bldg 007 BARC-WestBeltsville, MD 20705, USAPhone: 301-504-8511E-Mail: [email protected]. Karen M. St. GermainVP of Operations & Finance, IEEE-GRSSNPOESS Integrated Program Office8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1450Silver Spring, MD 20910, USAPhone: 301-713-4802E-Mail: [email protected]. Kamal SarabandiVP of Professional Activities, IEEE-GRSSDept. of Electrical Eng. & ComputerScienceAnn Arbor, MI 48109-2122, USAPhone: 734-936-1575, 734-764-0500E-Mail: [email protected]. Paul SmitsVP of Technical Activities, IEEE-GRSS Joint Research Centre Institute for Env.And SustainabilityTP262I-21020 Ispra, ITALYPhone: 39-0332-785279E-Mail: [email protected]. Melba M. CrawfordVP of Meetings & Symposia, IEEE-GRSSCenter for Space Research3925 W. Braker La., Suite 200The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX 78712-5321, USAPhone: 512-471-7993E-Mail: [email protected]. Jon A. BenediktssonTransactions Editor, IEEE-GRSSDepartment of Electrical and ComputerEngineering University of Iceland Hjardarhaga 2-6 107 Reykjavik, ICELAND Phone: +354-525-4670 E-Mail: [email protected]. Andrew J. BlanchardClean Earth Technologies1350 E. Arapaho Rd.Richardson, TX 75081, USAPhone: 972-889-0044x25E-Mail: [email protected]. William J. EmeryLetters Editor, IEEE-GRSSCCAR Box 431University of ColoradoBoulder, CO 80309-0431Phone: 303-492-8591E-Mail: [email protected]. William B. GailBall AerospaceP.O. Box 1062Boulder, CO 80306-1062, USAPhone: 303-939-4418 E-mail: [email protected]. James A. GatlinDirector of Finance, IEEE-GRSSCode 922 (Emeritus)Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD 20771, USAPhone: 301-614-5450E-Mail: [email protected]. David G. GoodenoughPacific Forestry CentreNatural Resources Canada506 West Burnside RoadVictoria, BC V8Z 1M5, CANADAPhone: 250-363-0776E-Mail: [email protected]

Dr. Martti T. HallikainenHelsinki University of TechnologyLaboratory of Space TechnologyP. O. Box 3000FIN-02015 HUT, FINLANDPhone: +358-9-451-2371E-Mail: [email protected]. Ellsworth LeDrewUser Application Committee Co-chairUniversity of WaterlooGeography Department200 University Ave. WestWaterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, CANADAPhone: 519-888-4567 x 2783E-Mail: [email protected] Dr. David M. Le VineNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Code 975.0Greenbelt, Maryland 20771Phone: 301-614-5640E-mail: [email protected]. Charles A. LutherPast President, IEEE-GRSSOffice of Naval Research800 N. Quincy StreetArlington, VA 22217, USAPhone: 703-696-4123E-Mail: [email protected]. Anthony K. MilneUniversity of New South WalesSchool of Biological, Earth and Env.SciencesSydney, NSW 2052, AUSTRALIAPhone: 61-2-9385-4879FAX: 61-2-4451-4628E-Mail: [email protected]. Alberto MoreiraDeutsches Zentrum für Luft- undRaumfahrt (DLR)Institut für Hochfrequenztechnik undRadarsystemeAbteilung SAR-Technologie, P.O. Box 11 1682230 Wessling, GermanyPhone: +49 8153 28 2360 Email: [email protected]. Granville E. Paules IIIProgram Planning and DevelopmentDivisionEarth Science EnterpriseNASA Headquarters Code YFWashington, DC 20546, USAPhone: 202-358-0706E-mail: [email protected]. Steven C. ReisingElectrical and Computer EngineeringDepartment113B Knowles Engineering BuildingUniversity of MassachusettsAmherst, MA 01003-4410, USAPhone: 413-577-0697Email: [email protected]. David WeissmanHofstra University, Dept. of Engineering104 Weed HallHempstead, NY 11549, USAPhone: 516-463-5546Email: [email protected]. Werner WiesbeckPast President, IEEE-GRSSUniversity of KarlsruheInstitute for High Frequency & ElectronicsKaiserstrasse 1276128 Karlsruhe, GERMANYPhone: +49-721-608-2522 (or 7729)E-Mail: [email protected]. Kiyo Tomiyasu, Honorary Life Member, IEEE-GRSSLockheed Martin Corp.366 Hilltop RoadPaoli, PA 19301-1211, USAPhone: 610-531-5740E-Mail: [email protected];[email protected]. Keith R. CarverHonorary Life Member, IEEE-GRSSUniversity of MassachusettsDept. of Electrical & ComputerEngineeringAmherst, MA 01003, USAPhone: 413-545-1665E-Mail: [email protected]. Fawwaz T. UlabyHonorary Life Member, IEEE-GRSSThe University of Michigan

4080 Fleming BuildingAnn Arbor, MI 48109-1340, USAPhone: 734-764-1185E-Mail: [email protected]. Lisa OstendorfDirector of Information Services, IEEE-GRSSIEEE Geoscience & Remote SensingSociety63 Live Oak LaneStafford, VA 22554, USAPhone: 540-658-1676E-Mail: [email protected]. Tammy SteinDirector of Conferences, IEEE-GRSSIEEE Geoscience and Remote SensingSociety179-9 Rt 46 W #231Rockaway NJ 07866, USAPhone: 973-586-7960E-Mail: [email protected]. Adriano CampsGRSS Newsletter EditorDept. of Signal Theory &CommunicationPolytechnic University of Catalonia,Campus Nord, D4-01608034 Barcelona, SPAINPhone: (34)-93-401-60-85E-mail: [email protected]. R. Keith RaneyGRSS Rep. on Social Implications ofTechnologyJohns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics LabSpace Dept.Johns Hopkins Rd.Laurel, MD 20723-6099, USAPhone: 240-228-5384E-Mail: [email protected]. Paul RacetteGRSS PACE Rep.NASA/GSFC Code 555Greenbelt, MD 20771Phone: 301-286-4756E-Mail: Paul. E. [email protected]. Didier MassonnetIGARSS03 General ChairmanCNES 18 Avenue E Belin Toulouse Cedex 31401, FRANCEPhone: 33.5.61273418 E-Mail: [email protected]. Verne KauppIGARSS04 General ChairmanICRESTUniv. of Missouri-Columbia349 EBWColumbia, MO 65211, USAPhone: 573-882-0793E-Mail: [email protected] Dr. Wooil M. MoonIGARSS05 General ChairmanSeoul National UniversityDept. of Earth System ScienceKwanak-gu Shilim-dong San 56-1Seoul, 151-742, KOREAPhone: 82-2-880-8898E-Mail: [email protected] of ManitobaGeophysics Dept.Winnipeg, MD R3T 2NT, CANADAPhone: 1-204-474-9833E-Mail: [email protected]. V. ChandrasekharIGARSS06 General Co-ChairmanColorado State UniversityElectrical Engineering Dept.Fort Collins, CO 80523, USAPhone: 970-491-7981E-Mail: [email protected]. Ignasi CorbellaIGARSS07 General ChairmanUPC - TSC Despatx: 208 Campus Nord - Edif. D3 C. Jordi Girona, 1-3 08034 Barcelona, SPAINPhone: 34 93 4017228E-Mail: [email protected]. Roger KingData Archiving and DistributionCommittee ChairMississippi State UniversityBox 9571

Mississippi State, MS 39762-9571, USAPhone: 662-325-2189E-Mail: [email protected]. Liping DiData Archiving and DistributionCommittee Co-ChairSchool of Computational SciencesGeorge Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia 22030-4444, USAPhone: 301-552-9496 E-Mail: [email protected]. Lori Bruce Data Fusion Technical Committee ChairMississippi State UniversityElectrical and Computer EngineeringBox 9571 Mississippi State, MS 39762, USAPhone: 662-325-3912E-Mail: [email protected]. Palma BlondaData Fusion Technical Committee Co-chairCNR-Instituto Elaborazione Segnali edImmaginiVia Amendola 166/5 - 70126 Bari, ItalyPhone: (39) 080 5481612E-Mail: [email protected]. Jeffery PiepmeierInstrumentation and Future TechnologiesCommittee ChairNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterCode 555Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAPhone: 301-286-5597FAX: 301-286-1750E-Mail: [email protected]. David B. KunkeeFrequency Allocations in Remote SensingCommittee ChairThe Aerospace Corp.Radar and Signal Systems DepartmentP.O. Box 92957, MS M4-927Los Angeles, CA 90009-2957, USAPhone: 310- 336-1125Email: [email protected]. David R. DeBoerFrequency Allocations in Remote SensingCommittee Co-ChairSETI InstituteUC Berkeley Radio Astronomy LabBerkeley, CAPhone: 510-643-2329E-Mail: [email protected]. Venkat LakshmiUser Applications Committee Co-ChairDepartment of Geological SciencesUniversity of South CarolinaColumbia SC 29208, USAPhone: (803)-777-3552E-Mail: [email protected]. Robert A. ShuchmanGRSS Ad Hoc Industry Liaison CommitteeAltarum InstituteP.O. Box 134001Ann Arbor, MI, USAPhone: 734-302-5610E-mail: [email protected]. Curtis H. DavisIGARSS06 TP Co-ChairUniversity of Missouri-ColumbiaDept. of Electrical Engineering323 Engin. Bldg. WestColumbia, MO 65211, USAPhone: 573-884-3789E-mail: [email protected]. M. Craig DobsonIGARSS04 TP Co-ChairNASA HeadquartersOffice of Earth Science, Code YSWashington, DC 20546, USAPhone: 202-358-0254E-Mail: [email protected]. Jay PearlmanThe Boeing CompanyPO Box 3707 MS 84-24Seattle, WA 98124, USAPhone: 253-773-5419E-Mail: [email protected]. Sonia C. GallegosSouth American LiasonNaval Research Lab, Code 7333Stennis Space Center, Mississippi,39529, USAPhone: 228-688-4807E-Mail: [email protected]

2004 ADCOM MEMBERS’ NAMES AND ADDRESSES

GRS-S Chapters and Contact InformationChapter Location Joint with

(Societies)Chapter Chair E-mail Address

Region 1: Northeastern USA

Boston Section, MA GRS William Blackwell [email protected]

Springfield Section, MA AP, MTT, ED, GRS, LEO Steven Reising [email protected]

Region 2: Eastern USA

Washington / Northern VA GRS James Tilton [email protected]

Region 3: Southeastern USA

Atlanta Section, GA AES, GRS Greg Showman [email protected]

Eastern North Carolina Section, NC GRS Linda Hayden [email protected]

Region 4: Central USA

Southeastern Michigan Section GRS Robert Onstott [email protected]

Region 5: Southwestern USA

Denver Section, CO AP, MTT, GRS Karl Bois [email protected]

Houston Section, TX AP, MTT, GRS, LEO Krzysztof Michalski [email protected]

Region 7: Canada

Toronto, Ontario SP, VT, AES, UFF, OE, GRS Konstantin Plataniotis [email protected]

Vancouver Section, BC AES, GRS Jerry Lim [email protected]

Region 8: Europe and Middle East

Central and South Italy 1 GRS Domenico Solimini [email protected]

Central and South Italy 2 GRS Maurizio Migliaccio [email protected]

Germany GRS Alberto Moreira [email protected]

Russia Section GRS Anatolij Shutko [email protected]

Spain Section GRS Adriano Camps [email protected]

Ukraine AP, NPS, AES, ED, MTT, GRS Anatoly Kirilenko [email protected]

Region 10: Asia and Pacific

Beijing Section, China GRS Chao Wang [email protected]

Seoul Section, Korea GRS Wooil Moon [email protected]

Taipei Section, Taiwan GRS Kun-Shan Chen [email protected]

Japan Council GRS Yoshio Yamaguchi [email protected]



Ya-Qiu Jin, Ph.D. (MIT), Fellow IEEE Yanqiu Chen, Ph.D. ( Southampton Univ.)Zongmin Wu, Ph.D. (Goettingen Univ.) the LWASRSI, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, CHINAPhone/Fax: +86-21-65643902E-mail: [email protected]

1. IntroductionFudan University founded in 1905 is one of top 5 universitiesin China. The Key Laboratory of Wave Scattering and RemoteSensing Information (LWASRSI) has been co-organized andsupervised by the State Ministry of Education and ShanghaiEducation Committee (its predecessor, the Center for WaveScattering and Remote Sensing of Fudan University, wasestablished in 1993). Main purpose of this laboratory is tocoordinate the multidisciplinary researches in the university tointegrate and advance the study of remote sensing technology,including research and development (R&D) of innovative the-ories, novel methods and applications in extensive areas.

The research in this laboratory is mainly supported by theMajor State Basic Research Development Program of China, the

National Natural Science Foundation of China, and theDisciplinary Development Program of the Ministry ofEducation. The LWASRSI also keeps research contracts withsome Institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the StateMeteorological Bureau, the Oceanic Bureau, China AerospaceCorporation etc. for the programs such as the China’s Lunar sur-veying, data calibration and validation for Fengyun (FY meanswind-cloud) meteorological satellite, Haiyang (HY meansocean) satellite programs and others.

The LWASRSI is composed by five divisions: 1) Divisionof Space Remote Sensing Information, mainly focusing ontheoretical approaches for model simulation and parameterretrievals, 2) Division of Image Processing and GIS, mainlyusing artificial intelligence for image processing and digitalGIS, 3) Division of Computational Electromagnetics, devel-oping novel, effective and fast numerical computations forelectromagnetic propagation and scattering, especially inremote sensing applications, 4) Division of Light andMicrowave Technology, which is one discipline for the under-graduate and graduate education of electronic engineering,and 5) Division of Theories for Complex Phenomena, pursu-

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

Retrievals and Applications of Remote SensingInformation from Multidisciplinary Researches— The Key Laboratory of Wave Scattering and

Remote Sensing Information (LWASRSI, Fudan University), Ministry of Education,

Shanghai, China

Figure 1. a) Inverted surface moisture and b) inverted fraction per unit area of canopyfrom polarimetric AIRSAR images.

ing to integrate novel progress in applied mathematics andphysics into remote sensing area.

Total 16 faculty members from the Departments of elec-tronic engineering, computer sciences, mechanic engineering,physics and mathematics, and 50 graduate students areinvolved in the LWASRSI research programs.

2. Theoretical Models of Electromagnetic Scatteringand EmissionPropagation, scattering and emission of electromagnetic (EM)wave; as interaction with the Earth’s environment, lay the phys-ical basis for retrievals of remote sensing information. Our lab-oratory made extensive researches on quantitative modeling ofthe EM scattering and radiative transfer in natural media.

In the studies of vector radiative transfer theory (VRT) totake account of multiple scattering, absorption and emission

for both the active and passive remote sensing of naturalmedia, we developed the models of inhomogeneous multi-layering, strongly fluctuating and dense scatters, non-spheri-cal scatters, clustered scatters, pulse VRT, three-dimensionalVRT and so on. As forward problem, scattering and emissionof natural media in remote sensing observations can be simu-lated. It lays the basis to understand EM wave interactions inremote sensing observations, data or image. Meanwhile, it isapplicable to carrying out comprehensive data interpretationand validation, and to solve the inverse problem, e.g. itera-tively, physically or statistically. Figure 1 shows inversions ofland surface moisture and fraction per unit area of tree canopyfrom polarimetric AIRSAR data, by using our iterative inver-sion based on VRT simulation.

In the studies of polarimetric scattering especially for fullypolarimetric SAR observation, we developed the parameter-


Figure 2. a) Polarimetric SAR image, b) Inversion of DEM.

Figure 3. Inversion of the effective height of tree canopy from polari-metric echoes.

Figure 4. Land surface moisture deviation from the 6Y mean value inAugust 2002.

ized model of polarimetric Mueller matrix with coherencematrix, entropy, co-polarized and cross-polarized indexes, andthe PDF of multi-look four Stokes parameters to seek quanti-tative analysis and surface classification. Based on the Muellermatrix solution of VRT, an inversion of digital elevation map-ping (DEM) from a single flight data of polarimetric SARimagery is studied. Figure 2 shows an example of the SARimage and inversion of DEM in China’s Guangdong area.

Because pulse echoes demonstrate temporal variation dueto time delay when the pulse is propagating through themedia, different volumetric and surface scattering mechanismcan be identified. Recently, lidar pulse echo from forestcanopy with vertical structure has been studied. We presenteda theoretical model of layered media of random non-sphericalscatterers under a polarized pulse is incident upon. It isapplicable to estimation of the canopy height and surfaceproperties. Figure 3 shows an inversion of the effective heightof tree canopy with three different scatter profiles from tem-poral echoes of co-polarized backscattering.

Scattering and emission from rough surface, either land andoceanic surfaces, or composite VRT model for volumetric andsurface scattering, are also our main research topics.

3. Data Validation, Fusion and InformationRetrievalsAdvancement of space-borne remote sensing has providedgreat amount of data and images in temporal and spatial scales.From data to information, and from information to knowledgehave required the data validation from both theory and obser-vation to meet various operational demands. It might be as afinal objective and process that encompass the entire remotesensing system. Due to geographic complexity and inhomo-geneity of China’s vast territory, more works are alwaysevolved. It includes modifying some well-developed algo-rithms and developing new specific algorithms to quantitative-ly evaluate real natural events from current satellite-borne

observations, especially for serious natural disasters. Based onthe data study and parameters retrievals from passive SSM/I,SSMT, AMSU, AMSR-E etc., active SAR such as SIR-C, ERS,JERS, RADARSAT SAR etc., typical events of snowing, flood-ing, draught, sandstorms, vegetation canopy, land soil moisture,sea surface wind speed, sea ice etc. are studied . Figure 4 pre-sents a mapping of land surface moisture deviation in August2002 from 6 years mean value derived from SSM/I data overChina territory.

These data validations provide the tractable approachesespecially for China’s future programs, such as the FY-3 ten-channels imager radiometers (which is similar to SSM/I,AMSR-E), HY-2 multi-modes microwave sensors (radiometer,altimeter and scatterometer), SAR and polarimetric SAR-2 etc.

Multi-sensors observations have presented the fusion and syn-thetic synergic study. Great amount of the works in this area areremained to study. For example, multi-temporal data yields auto-matic change detection for environment monitoring. Figure 5shows change detection of the locations where scattering isenhanced or reduced in Shanghai city between 1996 and 2002. Itis implemented by two-thresholds Expectation Maximum (EM)and Markov Random Field (MRF). The results are well validated.

4. Image Processing by Using Artificial Intelligenceand GIS Expert SystemsArtificial intelligence (AI) is employed to study of informa-tion retrievals of remote sensing images. Our approach of theStatistical Geometrical Features (SGF) for characterizingimage texture has been admitted as one of the best textureanalyses. Successful applications of SGF to the variety ofimage textures have been reported in literature. The SGFdecomposes a gray-scale texture image into a stack of binaryimages through multiple thresholds, and measures geometri-cal properties of the foreground and background connectedregions to statistically show the texture characteristics.

Making use of artificial cells to segment the image, novelapproach of artificial life is studied and employed to segmen-tation of remote sensing image, which is easy implementedand invariant to translation, rotation and scaling.

Conventional GIS is a platform of representation, composi-tion or visualization of discrete position-related information.How to make GIS as an active advisor instead of a passivedemonstrator needs combination of GIS with AI to offer moreanalysis power to solving complicated problems. AI solvingprocess includes domain-cross, domain-open and commonsense-required etc. Combination of GIS-AI greatly promotesthe ability of GIS for digital world from remote sensing.

5. Computational ElectromagneticsIt has been well known that computation has become the thirdbranch of science parallel to the theory and experiment due tofast advancement of computer technology. Computationalelectromagnetics has promoted more advanced study tonumerically simulate complex phenomena in remote sensing.


Figure 5. Change detection overlapped to the Shanghai tourist map.

Our studies focus upon high performance computation andnumerical simulation of EM scattering from complex objectssuch as target echoes and environmental clutters. Recently,we developed comprehensive models of bistatic scatteringand Doppler shifts from a ship on and a flying target at lowaltitude above wind-driven oceanic surface under taperedwave incidence at low grazing angle (LGA) by using the gen-eralized forward-backward method with spectrum acceleratealgorithm (GFBM-SAA), finite element method with domaindecomposition (FEM-DDM) and some others .

By using the FEM-DDM with two-level quasi-stationaryalgorithm, an example of Figure 6 shows numerical simula-tions of the Doppler spectrum of a flying target (NACA0012four-digital airfoil) at height 2m above and a ship on therough sea surface (at sea surface wind speed at 5m/s) undertapered wave (wavelength ) incidence at LGA angle 80º.

6. Math-Physics Research for Complex Natural MediaIntegrating current mathematics-physics research to themethodology and technology of Earth information retrievals,we devote our efforts to following three topics.1) Data from remote sensing observation is seen as a functional

mapping. Data fitting, i.e. scattered data approximation, dataassimilation and data mining etc. present rich resources forretrievals of information and knowledge. The radial basisapproximation such as the Kriging of the best linear unbiasedestimation in geo-mathematics, the thin-plate spline in shelland plate problem and multi-quadric in surface modeling etc.are studied. A scheme for solving general Hermitian-Birkhoffproblem with radial basis interpolation is generalized to be amesh less method for numerical solution of PDE, which mightbe challenge to conventional finite elements method. Further,compactly supported positive definite radial basis kernel func-tion is developed. The scattered data approximation and errorestimation of the radial basis interpolation are discussed.

2 Inverse problems, such as inverse scattering, dielectricreconstruction and scatter shape recovery etc., require fur-ther comprehensive studies in both the theoretical approachand operational data validation. Some key issues relatingwith the inversion uniqueness and conditional stability candescribe how many the number of measurements should beassigned to well determine the unknowns and how much theerrors embedded in the measurement can affect final inver-sion. It would be of helpful to interpret and evaluate theremote sensing data, not only qualitatively, but also quanti-tatively. Meanwhile, the inversion, as usually ill-posed prob-lem, pursues the stability algorithm. For example, a stablealgorithm of the Tikhonov regularization is well studied.

3 Analysis and processing of great amount of remote sensingdata and images require high-performance computations.Coding and processing by developing large-scale parallelcomputations become tensional works. For example, thereduced-order modeling for large-scale system, the finite

element method and finite difference method for PDE com-putation are studied for remote sensing applications.

7. Current Research Projects1) Theoretical Mechanism for Space-Borne Remote Sensing

Information: Modeling and approach of electromagneticscattering and radiative transfer for space-borne remotesensing, scattering and emission from randomly rough sur-faces at LGA, 3-D problems etc., data calibration and val-idation from current and future (FY and HY series), activeand passive sensors of satellite borne remote sensing,imagery mechanism, algorithms for information retrievalsof current and future SAR and INSAR technology;

2) Retrievals of Quantitative Remote Sensing and Applications:Service to global change study from remote sensing data, anddatabase, hydrological information retrievals from remotesensing, from typical events to operation, automatic changedetection of urban areas and target objects, validation andperformance evaluation for China’s remote sensing sensors;

3) Multi-information Fusion and Artificial Intelligence:Multi-data and information fusion (microwave, light,infrared etc.), data assimilation, artificial intelligence, arti-ficial life and pattern recognition in remote sensing, imageprocessing and GIS expert systems;

4) Computational Electromagnetics: Echoes and imageryfrom target and environment (oceanic and terrain sur-faces), RCS of complex (shape, size, composition, materi-al, etc.) objects, far and near fields measurements and sim-ulation, radio wave propagation in communication chan-nels, such as urban, atmosphere and ocean, wave propaga-tion through atmospheric turbulence;

5) Applied Mathematics and Physics: New theoretical andnumerical approaches from math-physics for scattering,inverse scattering, large-scale computations, parallel com-putation, and software codes.

Our Lab is open and welcomes all colleagues for collaboration.

References[1] Y.Q. Jin, Electromagnetic Scattering Modeling for Quantitative Remote

Sensing, 1994, Singapore: World Scientific.

[2] Y.Q. Jin, Information of Electromagnetic Scattering and Radiative

Transfer in Natural Media, 2000, Beijing: Science Press.

[3] Y.Q. Jin and Z. Liang, “Iterative Solution of Multiple Scattering and

Emission from Inhomogeneous Scatter Media”, Journal of Applied

Physics, Feb 1 2003, 93(4): 2251-2256.

[4] Y.Q. Jin and Z. Liang, “An Approach of the Three-Dimensional Vector

Radiative Transfer Equation for Inhomogeneous Scatter Media”, IEEE

Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2004, 42(2): in press.

[5] M. Chang and Y.Q. Jin, “Temporal Mueller Matrix Solution for

Polarimetric Scattering from Inhomogeneous Random Media of Non-

spherical Scatterers under a Pulse Incidence”, IEEE Transaction on

Antenna and Propagation, 2003, 51(4): 820-832.

[6] Y.Q. Jin and N. Zhang, “Statistics of Four Stokes Parameters in Multi-look


Polarimetric SAR Imagery”, Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 2002,

28(4): 610-619.

[7] Y.Q. Jin and F. Chen, “Polarimetric Scattering Indexes and Information

Entropy of the SAR Imagery for Surface Monitoring”, IEEE

Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2002, 40(11): 2502-

2506.

[8] Y.Q. Jin and F. Chen, “Scattering Simulation for Inhomogeneous

Layered Canopy and Random Targets Beneath Canopies by Using the

Mueller Matrix Solution of the Pulse Radiative Transfer”, Radio

Science, 2003, 38(6): 1107-1116.

[9] Y.Q. Jin, Z. Li, “Reconstruction of Roughness Profile of Fractal

Surfaces from Scattering Measurement at Grazing Incidence”, Journal

of Applied Physics, 2001, 89(3): 1922-1926.

[10] Y.Q. Jin, F. Chen and M. Chang, “Retrievals of Underlying Surface

Roughness and Moisture for Stratified Vegetation Canopy Using

Polarized Pulse Echoes in the Specular Direction”, IEEE Transactions

on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2004, 42(2): 1-8.

[11] Y.Q. Jin and S. Wang, “An Algorithm for Ship Detection from SAR

Image Using the Radon Transform and Topographical Image

Processing”, The Imaging Science Journal, 2001, 48(4): 159-163.

[12] Y.Q. Jin, Y. Wang, “A Genetic Algorithm to Retrieve Multi-parameters

of Land Surface Roughness and Soil Moisture”, International Journal of

Remote Sensing, 2001, 22(16): 3093-3099.

[13] Y.Q. Jin and F. Yan, “Monitoring Sandstorms and Desertification in

Northwestern China by Using the SSM/I and the Getis Auto-correlation

Statistics”, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2004, 25(2): in press.

[14] H. He, Y.Q. Chen, “Fuzzy Aggregated Connectedness for Image

Segmentation”, Pattern Recognition, 2001, 34(12): 2565-2568.

[15] Y.Q. Jin and Z. Li, “Numerical Simulation of Radar Surveillance for the

Ship Target and Oceanic Clutters in Two-dimensional Model”, Radio

Science, 2003, 38(3): 1045-1050.

[16] P. Liu and Y.Q. Jin, “Numerical Simulation for Bistatic Scattering from

a Target at Low Altitude over Rough Sea Surface under EM Incidence

at Low Grazing Angle by Using the Finite Element Method”, IEEE

Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 2004, 52(6): in press.

[17] Z.M. Wu and R. Schaback, “Local Error Estimates for Radial Basis

Function Interpolation of Scattered Data”, IMA Journal of Numerical

Analysis, 1993, 13: 13-17.

[18] Z.M. Wu, “Compactly Supported Positive Definite Radial Functions”,

Advances in Computational Mathematics, 1995, 4: 283?292.

[19] Z.M. Wu and Y.C. Hon, “Numerical Integration of Harmonic Functions

with Restricted Sampling Data”, Journal of Complexity, 2001, 17: 898-

909.

[20] J. Cheng, M. Yamamoto, “Uniqueness in an Inverse Scattering Problem

within Non-trapping Polygonal Obstacles with at Most Two Incoming

Waves”, Inverse Problem, 2003, 19(6): 1361-1384.

[21] I. Wei, Y.C. Hon and J. Cheng, “Computation for Multi-Dimensional

Cauchy Problem”, SIAM J Control Optim., 2003, 42(2): 381-396.

[22] J. Cheng, M. Yamamoto, “Identification of Convection Term in a

Parabolic Equation with a Single Measurement”, Nonlinear Anal. Theor.,

2002, 50(2): 163-171.

[22] J. Cheng et al., “Numerical Computation of a Cauchy Problem for

Laplace’s Equation”, Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik Mech.,

2001, 81(10): 665-674.


UNIVERSITY PROFILE

Education in Remote Sensing at the InternationalSpace University

François Becker, John Farrow and Miguel Mañas Barros International Space University (http://www.isunet.edu)

1. IntroductionHuman resources are key factors in the development andprogress of space technology and its uses for the benefit ofhumankind. How should we educate space professionals sothat they are able to meet the needs and challenges of thisevolving sector in a changing world? The question takes onadded importance when it is appreciated that space programsworldwide are becoming increasingly international and com-mercial in nature. In order to give an appropriate answer, theInternational Space University (ISU) was created in 1987 toinspire, educate and train the future professionals of theemerging global space community.

Observations of Earth’s land, oceans and atmosphere fromspace are finding increasing uses today in fairly efficient ways.Opening the minds of future space professionals to remote

sensing techniques and applications is an integral part of theireducation, even if they will not work in this specific domain.This is why ISU offers a particular education in remote sensingwith a specific character resulting from the very nature of ISU.

In this paper, we will start by briefly describing the insti-tution itself before presenting our curriculum in remote sens-ing. Particular emphasis will be placed on the opportunitygiven to students to analyze the contributions of remote sens-ing in team projects that they develop within an internationaland interdisciplinary context. We then present some viewsfrom ISU graduates on how the education they received in ourMasters course equipped them for their professional posi-tions. Finally we describe some future plans.

2. International Space University as an InstitutionISU is an international institution of higher learning, dedicat-ed to the development of outer space for peaceful purposes.Its mission is to develop, educate and give vision to key play-

ers and future leaders in the space sector through its innova-tive programs. It is unique in terms of its International,Interdisciplinary and Intercultural character – the so-called‘3I’s - that are present in its organization, in its classes and inits programs. Students and faculty from all backgrounds arewelcomed, and diversity of culture, philosophy, lifestyle,training and opinion are honored and nurtured.

ISU is a non-profit, private educational institution regis-tered in Alsace, accredited by the French Government andalso registered as a 501©3 non-profit educational organiza-tion in the USA. The ISU central campus is located in theurban community of Illkirch, Strasbourg in France with a net-work of around twenty affiliated institutions spread aroundthe world. In addition to the national and local governmentsupport it receives in France, ISU is backed by major spaceagencies including CNES, CSA, ESA JAXA and NASA, bythe UN, by industries, operators and suppliers active in space,and by the many individuals who share its vision.

ISU’s regular major programs are:• A one-week Introductory Space Course mainly designed

for professionals wishing to have a full view of space in ashort time e.g. staff of space companies or agencies.

• A Summer Session Program (SSP) lasting 2 months andbased in host institutions around the world; the SSP start-ed in 1988 and has now been held on 16 occasions.

• A one-year long Masters delivered at the campus site inFrance.

– The Master of Space Studies (MSS) is nowin its ninth year of operation;– A Master of Space Management (MSM)will be offered in parallel from Sept ‘04.

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent is thebasic entry requirement for SSP andMSS/MSM programs, but the undergraduatespecialization is less important. A typical classhas a spread of students with a mix of back-

grounds in science, engineering, medicine, law, business andhumanities, coming from some 20 to 30 different nations, thecommon factor being a strong interest in space-related matters.Since its creation in 1988, some 2000 students from 90 coun-tries have successfully completed either the SSP or the MSSprogram. For further details see http://www.isunet.edu/acade-mic_programs/index.htm.

ISU also organizes forums, workshops and short courseseither on campus or at a client’s site. As an example, a two-week course entitled ‘Space Techniques for EnvironmentalRisks: Land Surface Use and Urban Issues’ was organized byISU under European Commission funding within the DG XIIEnvironment and Climate Programme (Rycroft, 2000).Research activities with a joint Ph.D program are being devel-oped. All of these programs are taught with the earlier-defined‘3I’ pedagogy that aims to give each student:• an understanding of the interactions between all the space-

related disciplines;• an appreciation of global perspectives, and of the chal-

lenges presented by the international character of spaceactivities and their applications;.

• the ability to understand methods of working and manage-ment in various countries;

• some experience of working in and leading internationalteams, taking account of different cultural approaches aswell as technical, political, legal and financial issues.To this end, ISU draws on an international teaching and


Figure 1: In-situ and Satellite Images of the ISU Central Campus in Strasbourg (SPOT 5 image from CNES/SpotImage, processed by SERTIT)

Table 1: Total Time Devoted to Various Activities in ISU’s One-year Masters Course

research body of renowned individualsfrom academia, industry and spaceagencies. They introduce students intoa very efficient and dynamic profes-sional network helping to pave theirway to success. This collaborative net-work also serves as a neutral interna-tional forum for the exchange ofknowledge and ideas about challengingissues related to space and its applica-tions.

Each year ISU hosts an InternationalSymposium on some relevant, topicalissue. The next one, in late 2004, will bea forward look at what will drive majorcivil, military and security programs over the next decade in var-ious space activities including Earth observation –http://www.isunet.edu/other_programs/symposium.htm

3. Remote Sensing within ISU’s CoursesThe aim of ISU’s curriculum differs from that in most othercourses in the sense that it is not primarily designed to edu-cate those who will use remote sensing in their professionallives. The objective is more oriented towards the needs offuture key players in the space sector. Clearly an engineerinvolved in designing a space-borne instrument or interpret-ing the data from it must know how and why it will be used.Our courses cater for such students to a certain degree, but aregenerally more geared towards other members of the spacecommunity such as:• Managers involved in the design and development of space

platforms or missions;• Members of agencies or industry who need to know

enough about RS principles and applications to make pol-icy decisions in national or international negotiations.

• Lawyers who may require a good appreciation of the sub-ject in establishing contracts or in defending cases thatinvolve remote sensing.In summary, the goal is to give all of our students an over-

all view of what remote sensing is and what are the trends inits developments. We aim to build awareness of the capacityand potential of the tools and to convey a feeling for their con-straints and limitations. The curriculum is taught through lec-tures, workshops, field trips, assignments, professional visits,and contributions to team projects as described in the follow-ing sections. Subjects taught span the entire range of spaceinterests – physical sciences, life sciences, satellite applica-tions, engineering, IT, business and management, policy andlaw, humanities…. The first three modules (see illustration)are each around two months long and, after broad introduc-tions to the world of space, students go progressively deeperinto each of the main areas while retaining the broad interdis-ciplinary perspective described earlier.

The fourth module, again two months long, is devoted to amajor team project and the students then spend their final three


Table 2: Remote Sensing Lectures (each of 1 hr duration) in ISU’s Masters Program

Figure 2: Modular Structure of ISU’s Master’s Programs (showing parallel routes between the Master in Space Studies, MSS and the Masterin Space Management, MSM).

months on an internship carrying out an individual project rel-evant to their interests and to those of a suitable host institute.

The first module of the Masters is broadly equivalent – intime, effort, scope and depth – to the two-month SummerSession Program and so students who have successfully com-pleted an SSP join at the start of Module 2. The course isdesigned to allow students to spread their Masters over a peri-od of up to three years if that modular approach suits them,though the majority of students presently register for full-timeattendance through just one year. A summary of the total timespent on various activities in the one-year Masters course isshown in the table; completion of the course gains 37 UScredits (equivalent to 60 credits in the proposed EuropeanCredit Transfer System, ECTS).

Satellite applications in general - including communica-tions and navigation, RS/GIS - feature strongly in both theMasters and Summer Session Programs. RS/GIS activitiestogether constitute about 10% of the MSS course total formost of the class, but significantly more for students whochoose to do their internship on an RS-related topic.

4. RS-Specific Lectures and Workshops in ISU’sMasters Program Core material, covering important principles and applicationsof remote sensing as in Table 2, is taught in a conventionalmanner mainly through lectures by resident faculty and sev-eral visiting experts. All students are formally examined onthese subjects.

To develop deeper understanding and encourage closerinteraction between students and lecturers, the time devotedto the various subjects is extended significantly by work-shops, discussion sessions and hands-on activities building onthe lectures. A summary of a number of such RS-relatedworkshops follows based upon the 2003-04 MSS program:Lidar Applications in Space One of the original founders of ISU is now Director of theSpace and Atmospheric Division of a Canadian company spe-cializing in optical technology. His lecture on the subject led

on to a practical demonstration of using portable lidar equip-ment in profiling and sounding applications. Dual-Use of Remote Sensing After presenting morning lectures on how civil and militaryspace applications, especially in RS, share many commonareas of technology, visiting experts in policy stay on toengage with students in afternoon discussions on this subject.Space Activities of Major Nations As part of a block of lectures by representatives of majorspace-faring nations, discussions are organized allowing stu-dents to question or present their own views on national andinternational programs; remote sensing features strongly here. Business Planning ExerciseThe manager from a leading space company describes why hiscompany chose to enter the commercial RS field in develop-ments of a space-borne SAR. Students undertake a team exer-cise in business planning based on the model he describes.Commercial Earth Observations Students learn directly from experts representing leadingcompanies from around the world about their products (e.g.SpotImage, Radarsat and the Russian EO business sector).They engage in discussions on commercial prospects for RSactivities and apply this knowledge in the team assignmentdescribed below.Image Processing and Interpretation Those students choosing to follow a more technical ratherthan business-oriented path in their Masters program spendtwo days on a ‘hands-on’ workshop at SERTIT, a RS consul-tancy occupying the same campus site as ISU. There the stu-dents gain familiarity with techniques used in generatingvalue-added RS products and services.

5. Team Worka) Team Work in GeneralTraining students in team work has been identified as one ofthe major needs expressed in surveys conducted by ISU intoemployers’ needs in the space sector. To meet this need, some25 to 30% of ISU’s Masters and Summer Session Programsare devoted to team-working organized in such a way that par-ticipants have the opportunity:• to learn how to organize and contribute to a team project in

the ‘3I’ context; • to perform a conceptual study on a topic of interest inte-

grating all the disciplines involved and the internationaland intercultural perspectives. In the Masters program all students participate in a range

of short-duration team assignments in each of the first threemodules, each lasting typically one or two days. They alsoundertake a major team project filling part of one module andthe entire two month duration of another one. b) Short-term Team Assignments with a Significant RSComponent


Figure 3: ERS Radar and SPOT 4 Optical Images Used During theField Trip (including Forest, Hillside and a Quarry at Mt Ste Odile)

Remote Sensing Field TripA few weeks into the MSS program a field-trip is organizedto the Vosges, an area close to Strasbourg with a rich naturaland cultural heritage. Students work in small groups to inves-tigate relationships between what is seen at the ground, inmaps and in optical and radar images of the area taken by sen-sors on ERS, Radarsat and SPOT satellites.

The opportunity is also taken to demonstrate and use GlobalPositioning System (GPS) receivers to show the link betweenthe navigation, RS and GIS elements in the course. The objec-tives, materials and schedule for this team assignment are fullydescribed in a paper presented by the authors at a four-day con-ference on Space Applications for Heritage Conservation heldat ISU Campus in Nov 2002 (Farrow, 2002).

This conference was preceded by a ‘EURISY WinterSchool’ which brought together 20 PhDs and experts for lec-tures and discussions on ‘Satellite Applications to Archaeology,Natural Site Monitoring and Urban Planning’. It was interest-ing to see that the RS field trip proved to be as interesting andeducational for this group of specialists as it is in the Mastersclass with its broader mix of interests and experience. Spacecraft/Mission Design (and Proposal Preparation)A regular feature of Module 2 of the Masters program is ateam assignment in which students apply what they havelearned in lectures about system and subsystem design to apractical case study. The space mission chosen as an exampleis a small, low-cost satellite to collect data from in-situ sen-sors distributed around the world. In a later exercise the teamsgain experience of proposal preparation by developing themanagement, financial and contractual aspects appropriate totheir technical solution.Commercial Remote Sensing In the third module students undertake an assignment thatencourages each team to play the role of a small company setup to provide remote sensing consultancy services. The teamscompete with solutions to case studies which recently included:• Damaging effects of El Niño in Peru• Droughts in North Korea• Illegal fishing and pollution around Argentina• Flooding of the Rhine and insurance claims• Timber volume estimation in SarawakMajor Team Projects in ISU’s ProgramsThe objectives of the major Team Project in both MSS andSSP programs are similar:• To perform an innovative, focused conceptual study• To analyze many issues from the perspective of various

disciplines, where conflicting requirements emerge andefficient solutions are negotiated

• To develop skills in teamwork, leadership and decision-making.Students are offered the choice of two topics in the Masters

program, or three in the Summer Session (SSP) where the

numbers of participants are higher. These projects offer valu-able opportunities for students to exercise their imaginationand initiative. Remote sensing topics fit well within the inter-national and interdisciplinary framework that ISU encouragesas demonstrated by the following titles drawn from recentSSP Programs:• SSP 99, Thailand Disaster Management in South East

Asia• SSP 00, Chile Space Systems and ENSO (El Niño

Southern Oscillation)• SSP 01, Bremen Concepts for Advanced Small

Satellites to Improve Observation and Preservation of Europe’s Environment

• SSP 02, California Health Improvement via Space Technology and Resources

• SSP 03, Strasbourg ECOSPHERE, Earth Climate Observation System Promoting Human Ecological Research and Education

• SSP 04, Adelaide Water Cycle Studies Using Space Technology

6. Individual Projects/InternshipsAll ISU’s Masters students carry out an individual project on aspace-related topic during the final three-month long moduleof the program. The principal aims of this ‘internship’ period,which is carried out at a host institution such as a university,agency, private company or international organization, are to:• acquire practical training or specialized knowledge in the

student’s field of interest• develop the student’s skills in carrying out independent

work and study• contribute to the ongoing work of the host institution• enhance the student’s intercultural educational experience.

Examples of project titles from recently completed intern-ships include:• Carbon Sequestration in a Managed, Seawater-Irrigated


Figure 4: GPS Demonstration

Mangrove Forest in Eritrea. • The Use of Object-Based Image Analysis for Remote

Sensing. • Application of RS and Digital Image Processing for

Hydrological Studies in Syria.• Commercial High-Resolution Space Imagery and

International Conflict Management. • Generalization of Classification and Geo-referencing of

Landsat Images. • A Fly-through Over the January 2002 Meuse River Flood. • The Contribution of Earth Observation in the

Implementation and Compliance of MultilateralEnvironmental Agreements.

• Applications of SAR and Hyperspectral Data for GeologicMapping.

• Supporting Environmental Treaties with RS Data. • Use of Space Technology for Disaster Management in

Africa. • Characterization by RS of Land Cover Dynamics in SW-

Amazonia. • Observations of Wind-Forced Variability in the Southern

Ocean. • Application of Satellite Remote Sensing to the

Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

7. ISU Students and Alumni Perspectives on itsRemote Sensing Curriculum ISU Masters students are a central pillar of the university, atthe heart of its overall ‘3I’s philosophy. Not only do theycome from many different places around the world, but theyhave very different educational backgrounds as illustratedhere for a typical year group.

In preparing this article, the authors contacted a number of

MSS graduates now employed in the remote sensing sector toobtain feedback on how relevant and useful they consideredtheir training here to have been in preparing them for theircurrent professional role. As shown earlier in Figure 2, stu-dents all follow the same course of lectures in the core cur-riculum early in the course before selecting one of two paral-lel paths providing more specialization in either technicalmatters or in business-related aspects. Throughout the entirecourse they continue to come together for whole-class activi-ties in workshops, assignments and team projects.

Clearly, in this multidisciplinary approach and with a veryfull timetable, the introductory lectures cannot be both broadand deep at the same time. So not surprisingly, and in agree-ment with the goals of the course, some graduates now work-ing in the field confirm that RS/GIS topics are not developeddeeply enough at ISU with comments such as: “Too general orinappropriate to real RS work”; “…too physically orient-ed…”; “…pictures, but no classes on image processing …”;“….just a basic overview for those who don’t know the field.”.Conversely, students without a previous RS background con-sidered the level of information provided to be appropriate andrecognize how the course helped them to understand basicprinciples: “It was my first exposure to this material … the lec-tures gave me a nice theoretical background”. All of the grad-uates recognize that continuing and more in-depth RS studiesare necessary to develop their professional competence.

Typically, ISU students join the MSS program to enhancetheir space sector knowledge as well as to gain first-hand expe-rience in an area of their special interest. That is probably themain reason for the common agreement in the survey respons-es that the most important help to their professional work in theRS field had been practical hands-on activities, e.g. “…practi-cal knowledge of GIS software was useful to me”. Indeed the


Figure 5: Composition of a Typical MSS Class

alumni recommend more software-oriented and practical work-shops during the course: “One thing I seriously lacked whenentering the (RS/GIS) workforce was experience with the soft-ware. No one would hire me without it”. “More ‘hands-on’ willbe good to acquire a good idea of the image processing chain -but without environmental classes it doesn’t help since youdon’t know and understand what you are looking at!”.

ISU graduates show deep respect for the university’s interdis-ciplinary character: “Professional life is not black andwhite….courses that seem irrelevant for the scientific researchcommunity, such as law and business, cover the greyareas….One must be multidimensional to be successful”;“….that is the value added by ISU, being inter-disciplinary soknowing a bit about everything….”; “……I didn’t think theywould help me when taking the courses, but yes, theyhelp”….“the interdisciplinary mix is part of my everyday work.I also believe it helped me get into the current position.”Furthermore, the interdisciplinary content of ISU’s courses offersstudents the possibility of finding new sectors from the ones theywere accustomed to and this can lead to changes in the directionof professional careers after graduation: “…finding more careerdirection was my major reason for attending ISU. I’m now in afield directly related to my internship, as a result of a great expe-rience there”. Indeed, internship is considered by graduates to beone of the most important influences in establishing or redirect-ing their career, “My career has changed ever since. The intern-ship was pivotal in this change”.

Those ISU graduates in RS/GIS professions who respond-ed to the survey are pleased with the quality of the studiesoffered by the university, and expressed their desire for furthercollaboration in the courses if requested: “I am more thanwilling to cooperate (in RS/GIS activities) if there is anythingthat I can do for ISU”.

8. Further Development of Remote Sensing in ISU’sCoursesFuture developments being planned in ISU’s courses recog-nize the importance of practical activities to complementmore traditional teaching methods. Specifically, in theRS/GIS field, the following possibilities are being planned orare under consideration:• Establishment of a lidar laboratory to house equipment

which ISU hopes to acquire through an industrial donation.Initially MSS students would use this equipment to gainhands-on experience in active optical sensing - for metrolo-gy, profiling and remote sounding. Eventually it is hoped todevelop a lidar laboratory to undertake research in collabora-

tion with other institutions both locally and internationally. • Micro/nanosatellites have become an important and useful

tool today in space education and many universities, evenwith modest funding, are able to achieve quite ambitiousgoals. The question frequently arises as to whether ISU itselfshould get directly involved in such projects and, if so, howand with whom. A review of this topic is included in an ear-lier paper (Farrow, 2001). Currently ISU is in advanced dis-cussion with a university aerospace engineering departmenton the possibilities of collaborating on small satellite activi-ties in various ways including internships and by acquisitionand processing of data from an antenna at ISU campus.

• Drawing on feedback from MSS graduates summarized inthe last section, a closer coupling between remote sensingand information technology elements of the course isplanned, with opportunities for increased exposure to GIStools, for example. The dual-use nature of remote sensing and significant

recent increases in spending on government-funded defensecontracts are factors that are clearly recognized by ISU. Whileretaining the goal of developing space for peaceful purposes,we will continue to ensure that our graduates are conversantwith and equipped for the reality of the market.

ISU is a very young university with a unique blend of multi-disciplinary activities and very intensive courses designed to sat-isfy the enthusiasm typical of students in the space field. Thoughstill very small compared to most institutions offering masterscourses, our numbers are increasing progressively as recognizedby the introduction of a second parallel master’s course fromSept 2004. As a counterpart to the increased specialization inmanagement aspects in the new MSM course, those studentschoosing to follow our existing MSS route will be able to gorather deeper in scientific and technical areas. In this way we aimto continue with the breadth so appreciated by our graduates andoffer rather more depth in chosen areas such as remote sensing.

References1. Farrow, J.; Becker, F. et al. Practical Remote Sensing Activities in an

Interdisciplinary Master’s Level Space Course. Paper 3-3 in Proceedings

of the Conference on Space Application for Heritage Conservation, Nov.

2002. ESA SP-515.

2. Farrow, J. and Kaya, T. Micro/Nanosat Development Programs for

Partnership among Universities, Government and Industry: Benefits and

Difficulties Encountered. Paper IAF-01-P.2.08. 52nd International

Astronautics Congress, Toulouse 2001.

3. Rycroft, M. (Ed.). Space Techniques for Environmental Risks. Special

Issue of Surveys in Geophysics. Vol. 21, Nos. 2-3, 2000.


Richard K. Moore, University of KansasW. Linwood Jones, University of Central Florida

Abstract - The use of radar scatterometers on spacecraft tomeasure the wind vectors on the surface of the ocean is nowwell-established after over 35 years of research and develop-ment. This paper traces the development of these systemsfrom the first measurements of ocean backscatter in WorldWar II to the present. In 1965 the idea of measuring oceanproperties with a radar in space appeared. In the early 1970’s,after considerable discussion about the meaning of airborneexperiments on radar ocean backscatter, the idea that thebackscatter was in some way proportional to wind speed wasaccepted, and spaceborne instruments were built.

First was the Skylab S-193 experiment in 1973-74, whichwas followed by Seasat-A in 1978 with the first scatterome-ter designed specifically to measure vector winds on theocean surface. As a proof of concept mission for the oceanwind vector measurement, the Seasat-A SatelliteScatterometer was a success; however, there were many sci-entific and engineering aspects that needed refinement beforeroutine ocean wind measurements could be obtained fromsatellites. Following the demise of the Seasat satellite (after99 days of operations), detailed studies of ocean wind-vectorrequirements was commissioned by NASA, and subsequentengineering designs were developed for improved scatterom-eters. After some attempts in the 1980s in the U.S. to launchwind-vector scatterometers on satellites failed to receivebudgetary approval, the European Space Agency includedscatterometry in the Active Microwave Instrument on itsERS-1 spacecraft, launched in 1991, and followed in 1995 bya duplicate on ERS-2. Finally, in 1996, the U.S. NASANSCAT was launched as an experiment on Japan’s ADEOSAdvanced Earth-Observation Satellite. Unfortunately, thissatellite operated for only about one year; so NASA devel-oped a replacement “gap-filler” mission known asQuikSCAT with a new conical-scanning instrument calledSeaWinds. This first flew as the only instrument onQuikSCAT in 1999, and a duplicate sensor was launched onADEOS-II in December, 2002.

This paper outlines the historical developments and instru-ment characteristics for previous, current, and planned space-borne scatterometers, as well as discussing the airborneexperiments that preceded them. It concludes with a briefsummary of the applications of spaceborne scatterometers.

I. INTRODUCTIONMeasurements of backscattering from the ocean date to WorldWar II, when the airborne and ship-borne radars showed thatthe intensity of sea-state clutter grew with increasing windsand waves. The word “scatterometer” was introduced in 1965,and immediately it was in common use. The concept of usingspaceborne radars to study the ocean first appeared in themid-1960s, but it took almost a decade of field experimentsusing many aircraft-based and surface-based measurements,as well as theoretical developments, before the concept wasconsidered for space flight.

The first spaceborne scatterometer flew on the Skylabmission in 1973-74, and the first scatterometer designedspecifically to measure ocean-surface wind vectors flew onSeasat-A in 1978. The 99-day Seasat mission demonstratedthe feasibility of worldwide oceanic wind measurementfrom space, and it was followed over a decade later by sev-eral successive missions launched first by Europe and thenby Japan, the latter with a U.S. scatterometer. For a fewmonths two Ku-band scatterometers (SeaWinds onQuikSCAT and SeaWinds on ADEOS-II) flew simultane-ously, but ADEOS-II failed in October 2003. The EuropeanSpace Agency’s ERS-2 is operating at C band, but coverageis limited to areas within range of ground stations due to a2001 tape-recorder failure. Meteorological agenciesthroughout the world are using the scatterometer surface-wind data in their numerical weather models and forecasts.Moreover, researchers studying global climate change areusing scatterometer data in ocean and atmospheric circula-tion models to study short- and long-term interactions of theatmosphere and ocean. In recent years, other scientificapplications are using scatterometer backscatter to study seaand glacial ice, ocean and land ecology, and other non-oceanic applications.

This paper traces the development of ocean-surface wind-vector scatterometry from the beginnings to planned futurespace missions. It does not go into the development of thetheory of ocean backscatter, which could be the basis of a sep-arate history paper.

The paper is organized into three main sections: aHistorical Summary with brief descriptions of many events;Airborne Experiments, detailing the measurements that pre-ceded successful space wind-vector missions; andSpaceborne Experiments. The latter section describes sepa-rately the various spaceborne scatterometers, briefly outlines


TUTORIAL

Satellite Scatterometer Wind Vector Measurements - the Legacy of the Seasat Satellite Scatterometer

planned new instruments, and gives an extremely truncatedview of the applications of spaceborne scatterometers.

II. Historical SummaryRadar backscatter from the sea was first studied during WorldWar II, primarily with the object of understanding how “seaclutter” would interfere with the detection of ships and, espe-cially, submarine periscopes [1],[2]. Most such research wasat angles of incidence near grazing that were appropriate forship-borne radars. Some investigators conducted airbornebackscatter research during the 1950s [3], but again the moti-vation had to do with ship-target detection. During this periodit became apparent that the scattering coefficient s0increasedwith either wind speed or wave height, or both, and that themaximum signal occurred when looking upwind.

In 1963, R. K. Moore (an electrical engineer) had the ideathat this dependence could be used for ocean studies, andenlisted the collaboration of W. J. Pierson, an oceanographer.They first proposed adding a radar (in 1965 designated a scat-terometer) to a forthcoming Nimbus spacecraft as an additionto the planned microwave radiometers. However, the space-craft managers were concerned that the radar transmissionswould disastrously affect the radiometers, so the proposal wasrejected. The first papers on the subject were in 1965 [4],[5].

In 1965 the first formal proposal incorporating scatterom-eters was part of a larger proposal that included a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) for flight on a then-proposed mannedspacecraft [6]. This spacecraft would fly first in earth orbitand then in lunar orbit, and the scatterometer would be usedfor both, with ocean measurements made during the earth-orbit testing phase. The radar package would include scat-terometers at 400 MHz and 8 GHz and a multipolarized SARat 8 GHz.

At this time, the results of previous experiments suggestedto Moore and Pierson that the scatterometer would measure

wave heights, which could then be used to infer wave andwind fields over the oceans. In 1966 [7] and 1968 [8], Wrightat U. S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and Bass and Fuks[9] at the Ukrainian Institute of Radiophysics and Electronicsproposed and preliminarily verified the so-called Bragg-scat-ter theory that indicated the radar response depended on windspeed, not wave height. Subsequent research and proposals allrecognized this, and the use of the scatterometer for windstudies was established.

Several airborne scatterometer experiments started duringthe late 1960s, most notably those of Guinard and Daley [10]at NRL, and of Moore and Pierson [11] using a scatterometerbuilt and flown by NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). TheNRL papers suggested a saturation at low wind speeds notfound by Moore and Pierson. This contradiction was resolvedby 1972, as described below.

The Skylab flown in 1973-74 carried a scatterometer withincluded radiometer and altimeter, the S-193 experiment [12].This was the first earth-looking radar carried in space. It col-lected much backscatter information over the oceans (andland). When compared with ocean wind data, these resultsclearly showed the ability to measure ocean-surface windsfrom space.


Figure 1. Example of NASA JSC wind measurements (from [35])

Figure 2. Illustration of difference between plots. The function iswith . (a) shows dB vs. x (NRL’s method- semilog plot) and (b)shows dB vs. log(x) (NASA method - loglog plot).

An airborne radiometer-scatterometer (radscat) [13] wasdeveloped simultaneously with the Skylab instrument under theNASA Advanced Applications Flight Experiment (AAFE) pro-gram at NASA Langley Research Center. This instrument,developed under the supervision of W. L. Jones, was flown ona NASA C-130, and was used in part to verify the performanceof the Skylab instrument by underflights in the Gulf of Mexico.

A major achievement with this system was determinationof the azimuthal variation of the ocean response. This cameabout when the instrument flew in circles, a procedure sug-gested by Pierson and Jones. Prior crude attempts at this werebased on flights in upwind, downwind, crosswind, and 45°directions, but difficulty in ascertaining the wind directionfrom an aircraft caused inconsistencies.

The Seasat-A Satellite Scatterometer (SASS) was the sec-ond scatterometer to fly in space. For it, a geophysical modelfunction, based especially on the circle flights with the AAFEradscat, provided the basis for obtaining both wind speed anddirection from ocean backscatter [14]. Each surface areacould be viewed from two directions, but this was insufficientto unambiguously find the wind direction. As a result, mucheffort went into methods correctly to identify the proper winddirection. In the 99 days of Seasat operation, the ability of aspaceborne scatterometer to measure wind vectors was firm-ly established, albeit with the ambiguity problem to be solved.

After at least two aborted proposals in the U. S., the nextscatterometer in space was a part of the Active MicrowaveInstrument (AMI) [15] on the European Space Agency’s firstEuropean Remote Sensing Satellite ERS-1 in 1991. This sys-tem could measure each ocean location from three directions,thereby improving the ambiguity removal process. It was fol-lowed in 1995 by ERS-2 [16] with an identical instrument.The data from these instruments were ultimately incorporatedinto operational weather forecasts from ECMWF (EuropeanCentre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts).


Figure 3. Illustration of NRL data, on log-log plot, showing year-to-year bias removal. (a) VV polarization, (b) HH polarization(from [35]).

Figure 4. Example of circle-flight measurements at Ku band with the AAFE radscat.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) provided theNASA Scatterometer NSCAT [17] on the Japanese AdvancedEarth Observing Satellite (ADEOS), later renamed Midori,launched in 1996. Like ERS-1 and ERS-2, NSCAT obtainedradar backscatter from three azimuth directions. Data fromthis instrument went to numerous researchers and internation-al meteorological agencies for their use. Unfortunately, theADEOS satellite failed after approximately one year’s opera-tion, thus ending the NSCAT Mission.

The next US scatterometer proposed for space was to be onthe ADEOS-II spacecraft. This system was to use a newapproach, a dual-beam conical scan that permitted fourazimuth looks at each surface area, an approach first proposedby Kirimoto and Moore in 1984 [18],[19]. The instrumentdeveloped by JPL for ADEOS-II was dubbed SeaWinds.When it became apparent that the ADEOS-II launch would be

delayed, and following the premature termination of theNSCAT, NASA approved a replacement “gap-filler” scat-terometer mission named QuikSCAT. In just 18 months, thesatellite was developed using a small spacecraft bus and oneof the SeaWinds instruments [20]. This was launched in 1999and continues to operate. ADEOS-II/SeaWinds was launchedin December, 2002, but the satellite failed in October of 1993.Results from QuikSCAT are now being provided routinely tothe U. S. National Weather Service and ECMWF.

III. EARLY AIRBORNE EXPERIMENTSSeveral sets of airborne experiments occurred during the1950s, most notably those with the original NRL 4-frequencyradar[21]. This system was replaced in the 1960s by a moremodern system, which provided some of the first measure-ments attempting to show wind dependence of the seabackscatter [22]. This radar used pencil beams at frequenciesof 428 MHz (P band), 1.228 GHz (L band), 4.455 GHz (Cband), and 8.91 GHz (X band) with both horizontal and verti-cal polarizations. Flights were primarily with the radar look-ing upwind, downwind, and crosswind, and at a wide range ofincidence angles. Calibration depended on manually trackingmetal spheres of known cross-section dropped from the air-craft. Significant wind dependence was found at C and Xbands, but not at the lower frequencies. The experimentersinterpreted their results as showing an increase in oceanbackscatter with wind speed up to a value (~ 15 knots) atwhich saturation was said to occur. Upwind signals werestronger than downwind, and both were much stronger thancrosswind.

Also in the late 1960s NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC)built a 13.3 GHz vertically polarized CW scatterometer witha fan beam in the fore-and-aft direction. Discrimination


Figure 5. Example of Skylab S-193 response to hurricane winds(from Congressional presentation by R. K. Moore, Feb. 20, 1974).

Figure 6. SASS beam configuration and coverage.

between signals from different angles of incidence wasachieved by Doppler filtering. Relative calibration used aknown signal injected at a frequency just above the maximumDoppler frequency received. Absolute calibration was poorbecause it was nearly impossible to measure the gain of thebroad-beam antenna mounted on the aircraft skin. Hence,results were reported on a relative basis by normalizing thebackscatter to the s0value measured at 10° incidence. No sat-uration effect appeared up to the highest wind speed observed(~ 30 knots) as indicated in Fig. 1. These data were primarilyanalyzed by the University of Kansas group and associates[23], and by Pierson at New York University.

Many debates took place between the NRL proponents ofsaturation and the group working with the NASA data. Eachaccused the other of “plotsmanship” in the data presentations.The difference was that the NRL group plotted σ 0 in dB (a

log measure) vs. a linear wind-speed scale, while the NASAgroup plotted σ 0 in dB vs. the logarithm of wind speed. Onecan show that any relation of the form y = xa appears to sat-urate on a semi-log plot like that used by NRL, but appears asa straight line on a log-log plot like that used by the NASAgroup, as illustrated in Fig. 2. One important revelation wasthe discovery by Pierson that the neutral stability wind speedwas the proper correlating parameter, rather than wind speedwithout atmospheric profile correction. In 1972, Claassen, etal. [11], showed that proper analysis of both sets of data gavesimilar results, and that the reported saturation was an artifactof the plotting method and of apparent σ 0 bias between aver-age levels for two years of the NRL data as shown in Fig. 3.The conclusion was that σ 0 increases with the neutral-stabil-


Figure 7. Example of SASS sigma-0 resolution cell . Figure 8. NSCAT beam configuration and coverage.

Figure 9. SeaWinds beam configurations and coverage (from [67]) Figure 10. Example of a synoptic wind map of the Pacific Oceanfrom two days measurements by SCAT. (From NASA/JPL).

ity wind speed (for a given look direction relative to the winddirection) proportional to wind speed raised to some exponentbetween 1.5 and 2.5, depending on angle of incidence.

At the beginning of the 1970s, NASA supported the devel-opment of an airborne combined radiometer-scatterometer at13.9 GHz (Ku band) as a part of the Advanced FlightApplications Experiment program. This AAFE Radscat, builtfor NASA Langley Research Center, used a pencil beam withboth vertical and horizontal polarizations. The instrument flewon a C-130 aircraft, with the antenna mounted on the open rearcargo door, thus avoiding potential radome interference withthe radiometer performance. Extensive flights with the AAFERadscat provided the best empirical sea backscatter measure-ments made to that time [13], and were the basis later for themodel function used with the Seasat scatterometer [14].

Besides the combination of radiometer and scatterometerinto one instrument [24], the most innovative and importantdifference in the measurements with AAFE Radscat was useof circle flights to determine the azimuth variation of σ 0 (seeexample in Fig. 4). Previous attempts using linear flights inupwind, downwind, and cross-wind directions were ambigu-ous because of difficulty determining the surface wind direc-tion from an aircraft and temporal/spatial variability of thesurface winds along a given flight line; moreover they failedto give the complete picture. The idea was conceived by W. L.Jones of NASA LRC and W. J. Pierson of NYU.

During the 1970s and early 1980s many investigators con-ducted backscatter experiments from ocean platforms, pro-viding additional information on the nature of the response ofσ 0 to winds (for example [25-27]). In general, one can say

that the results of the platform experiments were similar tothose with the AAFE Radscat.

IV. Spaceborne ScatterometersNumerous spaceborne scatterometers have flown, and moreare planned. The first two, Skylab S-193 and Seasat SASS, setthe stage for the more operational systems that followed. Herewe discuss some details of these systems.

A. Skylab S-193. Skylab was planned to be a manned orbiting laboratory fol-lowing the Apollo program, and one of the goals was to haveinstruments that could observe the earth’s surface. Moore andothers of the team that had prepared the 1965 proposal [6],suggested a radiometer-scatterometer. Joe McGoogan fromNASA Wallops Flight Facility and others suggested a radaraltimeter. When it appeared that only one radar could beaccommodated, the two groups combined forces and pro-posed that one instrument could do both tasks. The result wasthe S-193 radscat/altimeter.

This 13.9 GHz instrument used a one-meter parabolic


Figure 11. Example of wind chart from descending pass ofQuikSCAT in the Pacific Ocean for Oct. 10, 2003. Barbs withoutarrows are areas flagged as rain. (From NOAA/NESDIS).

Figure. 12. Example of QuikSCAT use in a hurricane: HurricaneDora (From NASA/JPL).

antenna with dual linear polarizations. Scanning was possiblewith many modes. For precise measurements, the beam wasscanned in the along-track direction to fixed angles from ver-tical of 0°, 15.6°, 29.4°, 40.1°, and 48°, with sufficient dwelltime at each angle to permit averaging enough to achieve bet-ter than 5% precision; this was the primary mode used overthe ocean. Timing was such that a given surface patch wasobserved successively at each of the angles. A more rapidalong-track scan permitted continuous coverage at lower pre-cision, a requirement over land. Across-track scanning waspossible at each of the selected angles with the lower preci-sion of the rapid along-track scan; the 29.4° angle (incidenceat the ground about 35°) was widely used over land.

All parts of the system used the same antenna andmicrowave parts of the receiver. At the intermediate frequen-cy, the received signal could go to one of three sections: wideband for the radiometer, somewhat narrower band for thealtimeter, and narrow band for the scatterometer. The pulsedaltimeter transmitter and interrupted-CW scatterometer trans-mitter were switched to the antenna at appropriate times.During radscat operation the receiver was time-sharedbetween scatterometer and radiometer. Hanley [28] providedthe most complete radscat system analysis, and a briefdescription is in [29].

The design of the S-193 introduced to radar the use of ameasurement technique already in use on radiometers. Thisapproach is used on in all subsequent spaceborne scatterome-ters. Previous radars required signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs)

well above 0 dB to make meaningful measurements.Radiometers and radio telescopes operate with SNRs of assmall as -50 dB by separately averaging the receiver outputand a calibrated noise, and then subtracting the noise powerfrom the receiver output to get the received signal. Applyingthis technique to the radar permitted the scatterometer toachieve 5% precision with -13 dB SNR. The bandwidth thatcould be used was only 10s of kHz compared with typicalradiometer bandwidths of 100 MHz and more; hence, theextremely low SNRs that radiometers use could not beachieved [30].

An example of S-193 backscatter measurements obtainedduring three passes over Hurricane Ava (1973) is shown inFig. 5. Pierson compared the ocean backscatter results withhindcast models based on ship reports, and found very goodcorrelation; although directional information was poor, andthe circle-flight experiments with the AAFE Radscat [13]were just beginning so knowledge of the directional scatteringproperties was meager. Comparison between an underflightwith the AAFE Radscat and an overpass of the SkylabRadscat showed that the systems were well calibrated. Resultsof the S-193 Radscat experiment were reported in 1974 [12],and results of the altimeter experiment were in [31].

B. Seasat SASSAfter the successful demonstrations of wind scatterometryduring the early and mid 1970s, NASA decided to include ascatterometer on a mission proposed to study the oceans,Seasat. This spacecraft operated from June to October, 1978,and carried a suite of instruments [32]: SASS at 14.6 GHz, anL-band SAR, a 13.5 GHz altimeter (ALT), a scanning multi-frequency microwave radiometer (SMMR), and a visible andinfrared radiometer (VIRR). The SASS was a proof-of-con-cept instrument for spaceborne ocean-surface wind-vectorscatterometry.

SASS [33] had an interrupted-CW transmitter using thesame signal processing principles as those on the earlier S-193 instrument. However, it had four fan-beam dual-linear(V and H) polarized antennas with the two beams on eachside pointed ±45° from normal to the orbital track. The ele-vation patterns of the fan beams were wide enough so thatthe measurements could be made in two approximately 500-km wide swaths offset on each side of the orbit track byabout 200 km (Fig. 6). Twelve fixed analog Doppler filterswere used to subdivide the fan beams and provide contiguous“footprints” at different points along the beams with dimen-sions about 15 km (across beam) by 70 km (along beam)(Fig. 7). Because of the earth’s rotation and the fact that thespacecraft was aligned along the orbit plane, not along theground track, the beam angles relative to the ground trackcould deviate by about 1.5°, the maximum angle betweenground track and orbit plane. This caused some variations in


Figure 13. QuikSCAT image of Antarctica that shows in light graythe extent of the sea ice. The arrow points to a large iceberg that hasbeen tracked by QuikSCAT. (From NASA/JPL).

swath width (between looking forward/aft andascending/descending parts of the orbit) with latitude, andsome complications in data analysis.

Prior to launch of Seasat the SASS instrument team con-ducted extensive aircraft ocean σ 0 experiments (see Examplein Fig. 4) studied the existing data and produced a geophysi-cal model function to describe the variation of σ 0 with windspeed, wind direction, and angle of incidence [5] [34]. Thisfunction had an analytical base of the form

σ 0 = A(u, θ) + B(u, θ) cos χ + C(u, θ) cos 2χ ,

where u is the wind speed, θ is the angle of incidence, and χis the azimuth of the wind relative to the pointing angle of thebeam. The σ 0 mean value (linear units) was assumed to be apower law such that A(u, θ) = a(θ)ud(θ)and when expressedin dB, σ 0

dB = 10[G(θ, χ) + H(θ, χ) log u]. Values of Gand Hwere prepared in a two-dimensional table versus incidenceangle θ and relative wind direction χ for use in the pre-launchSASS wind-vector retrieval algorithm.

Several algorithmic approaches were considered beforelaunch of Seasat [35]. The one selected was a least-mean-squared comparison between the received signals and themodel function [36] [37]. However, consideration of theexperimental data caused the function to be presented in termsof the table mentioned in the previous paragraph [14]. Onceon orbit, the original table was modified, based on results oftwo experiments during the mission: GOASEX in the NorthPacific and JASIN in the North Atlantic and North Sea [14].After the failure of Seasat, further analysis indicated more“tuning” of the model was needed [38], and an improvedmodel function and wind retrieval algorithm were developedand used to reprocess the SASS data set [34, 39].

The two beams on each side were intended to give twoorthogonal azimuthal observations of each surface footprint toallow determinations of the direction of the wind vectors. Thiswas necessary because of the azimuthal variation of the σ 0

found during the AAFE Radscat circle flights. However thedirectional solutions are not unique; and from two to four pos-sible solutions result for the wind vector, known as “aliases”.Thus, considerable effort went into finding ways to determinewhich of the solutions was the correct one [40]. This problemled to use of three azimuth beams on the ERS and NSCATsystems, since adding a view of the footprint from anotherazimuth angle increases the probability of selecting the prop-er alias [35, 41].

The signal to a scatterometer at Ku band can be corruptedby the presence of rain. Three rain effects are important:backscatter from the rain can add to the received surface sig-nal, attenuation through the rain reduces the surface signal,and rain drops striking the surface modify the scatteringresponse, particularly at low wind speeds. During Seasat an

attempt was made to correct for this effect using measure-ments from the SMMR radiometer [42]. It was not very suc-cessful, however, due to the greatly different and non-coinci-dent surface footprints of the two instruments and the highspatial variability of rain.

From an ocean wind-vector measurement perspective, theimportance of Seasat was that SASS provided global mea-surements of ocean wind vectors for the first time and that thescience team geophysical evaluation against surface truthfrom buoys, research ships and wind field meteorologicalanalyses was very positive [37]. In the following decade, alarge number of research papers appeared, too many to refer-ence here; two special issues of Journal of GeophysicalResearch contain many papers dealing with Seasat, includingSASS [43], [44], but the analysis continued for many yearsafter these.

C. Aborted U.S. ProgramsAbout one year after the demise of Seasat, strong interestdeveloped within the Navy Office of the Oceanographer andNOAA National Weather Service to continue SASS andSMMR oceanic measurements on an operational basis. Thus,NASA, DOD (Navy and USAF) and NOAA joined forces andproposed a new operational ocean environmental satellite pro-gram known as the National Oceanic Satellite System, NOSS.The USAF Space Division assumed the lead implementationresponsibility, and the technical development was assigned toNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Major aerospace com-panies participated in phase-A and -B studies to define a two-satellite system similar to the Defense MeteorologicalSupport Program Satellites (DMSP) with a remote-sensingsuite of active/passive microwave sensors, ocean-color andVisible/IR imagers. This billion-dollar program, scheduled tobegin in fiscal year FY83, was cancelled in the president’sbudget submission to Congress in 1982.

Coinciding with the satellite system definition studies wasan intensive redesign of the scatterometer instrument at theNASA sponsor, Langley Research Center [45]. The SASSDoppler scatterometer served as the departure point withimprovements to address noted weaknesses in the SASS per-formance and improved reliability for operational perfor-mance. Major studies included: optimization of the scatterom-eter polarization/multi-azimuth look combination to providereliable wind alias selection, improved spatial resolution from50 km to 25 km wind-vector cells, digital hardware imple-mentation to improve on-board Doppler signal processing, andblock box redundancy for 5-year reliability. Following the can-cellation of NOSS, the lead center responsibility for scat-terometry was transferred from Langley to JPL.

In 1983-84, a reduced-scope version of the NOSS systemwas resurrected by the Navy under the name Naval RemoteOcean-Sensing System, NROSS. This satellite, to become a


special DMSP with an ocean sensor suite, was sold to theoperational Navy to provide real-time tactical weather toforces at sea with a strong emphasis on anti-submarine war-fare. The sensor suite included the redesigned scatterometerfor surface wind vector, a radar altimeter for detection ofocean eddies and a new Low Frequency MicrowaveRadiometer for all-weather sea-surface temperature andocean-eddy imaging. Like all federal programs, eventuallythere are hard choices for sponsors e.g., between Navy satel-lites and ships/aircraft, and the Navy chose the latter. As aresult, the program lingered for a year and eventually termi-nated in 1987-88. The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) pro-gram was initiated at JPL in 1983 as part of the NROSS pro-gram. As noted later (in section IV.E), NSCAT eventuallyflew aboard ADEOS-2 in 1996.

D. ERS-1 and 2The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its first EarthRemote Sensing satellite ERS-1 in 1991, and it operated until2000. It carried a suite of instruments: the Active MicrowaveInstrument (AMI) with SAR and scatterometer modes, the radaraltimeter, the infrared radiometer (IRR), the Microwave Sounder(MWS), an ultraviolet and visible spectrometer GOME.

The AMI [46] operated at C band (5.3 GHz) with verticalpolarization. This frequency choice apparently was governedby SAR considerations, since no adequate data were availablefor the wind response at C band at the time the frequency wasselected. To rectify this situation, several European groupscarried airborne experiments at C band and other frequencies(see for example [47] and references therein). Much of the

microwave part of the system was common to its three modes:SAR imaging, SAR wave mode, and scatterometry. However,the SAR had a large antenna and the scatterometer used threesmaller antennas; one pointed the beam normal to the groundtrack and the others pointed ±45° from this direction. UnlikeSeasat, the ERS-1 scatterometer only viewed to one side ofthe ground track, with angles of incidence from 18° to 47° forthe mid beam and 25° to 59° for the fore and aft beams, giv-ing a 500 km swath offset 200 km from the ground track.Because of the high transmitter power available (required forthe SAR), the scatterometer used long pulses and range gat-ing, rather than ICW mode like the NASA systems.

The ocean response at C band is different from that at Kuband, so a new model function was required. The one select-ed, called CMOD2 [48], used an analytical form, rather thanthe tabular form used with Seasat. As with Seasat, post-launchcalibration campaigns served to improve the model function,resulting in CMOD4 [49],[50].

Rain backscatter and attenuation are much less at C bandthan at Ku band, so ERS-1 data do not suffer significantlyfrom the rain backscatter and attenuation that can cause prob-lems at Ku band. However, raindrops modify the surfaceresponse at both frequencies[51].

ERS-1 data have been assimilated into some of the fore-casts from the European Center for Medium-range WeatherForecasting (ECMWF) and efforts started early [52]. The lit-erature on experiments with and use of ERS-1 is very exten-sive (see for examples [53]).

Following the success of ERS-1, a nearly identical spacecraftwas launched in April, 1995. For nine months, it was operated


Figure 14. Backscatter from the Greenland ice cap at 5-day intervals in July 1999 as observed by QuikSCAT. Note changes in the southernpart. (from NASA/JPL)

in tandem with ERS-1, allowing excellent SAR interferometryusing the two spacecraft. Of course, having the two satellitesoperating at the same time doubled the coverage of the scat-terometers, thereby making more data available to the weatherservices. ERS-1 continued until 2000, and ERS-2 continues asof the date of writing (June, 2004). with reduced coverage.

E. NSCAT on ADEOSDuring the 1980s, NASA Office of Applications had begunthe development of the improved NASA Scatterometer(NSCAT) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory [17]. This instru-ment for flight on NROSS provided a three azimuth-lookICW Doppler scatterometer with a 600 km swath on bothsides of the satellite subtrack. At the time of the NROSS can-cellation, the instrument was at the critical design reviewmilestone and, without spacecraft interface definition, couldnot proceed to flight hardware build. Only through heroicefforts of the NASA Headquarters program manager WilliamTownsend was the instrument development saved from can-cellation and allowed to continue as a “build and store” forfuture flight opportunity. Fortunately in 1988-89, Japan’sSpace Agency (NASDA) announced a flight opportunity forinstruments on their first Advanced Earth Observing System(ADEOS) satellite, and the NSCAT was selected. Thus, beganthe NSCAT program restart, and the eventual launch in 1996– almost two decades after the successful SASS experiment.

The NSCAT scatterometer had three fan-beam antennas,two at ±45° relative to cross-track with vertical polarizationand one at 20° between these directions with both vertical andhorizontal polarizations (see Fig. 8). The extra beam was toaid in ambiguity removal, as was the extra beam on ERS-1.The method used [54] was quite successful, with Gonzalesand Long reporting 99% success for winds exceeding 4 ms-1[55]. Another advance over the Seasat design was use of anon-board digital processor allowing co registered measure-ments at fixed cross-track distances [17].

The effect of rain on the scatterometer signal was observedduring Seasat, as reported in [56]. For NSCAT there was noradiometer on the spacecraft, so the presence of rain was esti-mated from data from other spacecraft with radiometers, par-ticularly the Department of Defense Special SensorMicrowave/Imager (SSM/I). This was used to produce “rainflags” in the data stream, warning users that the data might beerroneous [57]. A different approach used in Europe producedrain flags when the signals from the three observations of agiven surface location were inconsistent with the geophysicalmodel function [58].

ADEOS with NSCAT on board operated from September,1996, until June, 1997, when the spacecraft failed. TheNSCAT system performed very well, meeting all missionspecifications [59], and these 9 months of data gave rise tomany research papers. In 1999 the American Geophysical

Union published a book with a compilation of NSCAT papersfrom its journals [60], including a major special section of theJournal of Geophysical Research [61]. Several of the papersrelated to improving the model function [62-64], importantfor the subsequent missions.

F. SeaWinds on QuikSCAT and ADEOS-IINSCAT was intended to last at least 3 years , with a follow-on mission planned for ADEOS-II. ADEOS-II was to belaunched in 1999, but delays in mission development made itapparent that the launch would be considerably later.Consequently, NASA introduced a special mission with shortdevelopment time to fill the gap between the demise ofADEOS-I and launch of ADEOS-II. This mission was calledQuikSCAT, and (unlike the ADEOS missions) carried onlyone instrument, the scatterometer developed for ADEOS-II,called SeaWinds [65].

Originally, the ADEOS-II scatterometer was to be similarto NSCAT, but its four long fan-beam antennas would havecaused interference with clear fields of view of other instru-ments planned for ADEOS-II (especially the AdvancedMicrowave Scanning Radiometer, AMSR, that was mountedin the location originally used for NSCAT). Hence, the scan-ning-scatterometer concept [18, 19] was selected. This systemuses a single parabolic reflector (pencil-beam) antenna withtwo feeds, rotating 360°. The beams from the two feeds areincident to the earth at 46° and 54° (see Fig. 9). Thus, for astationary satellite the rotation would cause the beams tointersect the surface in two concentric circles of diameterapproximately 1400 and 1800 km; because of the spacecraftadvance, the surface pattern is actually a series of spirals.

For any surface location within 700 km of the groundtrack, the measurement is made from four different azimuthdirections, thus improving on the capability of ERS-1/2 andNSCAT to remove ambiguities [66]. For points between 700and 900 km from the ground track, only two azimuth direc-tions are observed, but this is comparable with the Seasat scat-terometer. The situation is not quite as favorable as this state-ment indicates, however; because the observed azimuthangles near the ground track are quite close together, as arethose at the farthest point on the outer circle. In the middlerange of off-track distances, however, this scan pattern givesexcellent ambiguity removal.

Use of a pencil beam permits the scanning scatterometer touse lower power for a given SNR, since the antenna gain isabout 10 dB higher than that for the fan-beam antennas.Moreover, processing is simpler because all measurementsare made at, or close to, only two incidence angles. Thus themodel function need not be calibrated accurately for a widerange of incidence angles.

The SeaWinds beam has a surface footprint in the form ofan ellipse about 25 km by 35 km (referred to as the “egg”).


However, each footprint can be divided into “slices” by usinga frequency sweep (chirp) within the pulse to achieve betterrange resolution [67]. The slices are about 25 km in azimuthand have a range width of about 6 km. This finer resolutionpermits application, with special processing, closer to coast-lines than possible with the egg. Moreover, the finer resolu-tion has many uses over land and sea ice.

Since SeaWinds is the only instrument on QuikSCAT,most rain flagging must use other satellites, notably theSSM/I or the TRMM Microwave Imager radiometers, andcomparison of multiple observations with the geophysicalmodel function [68]. However, Jones [69, 70] noted that theSeaWinds has an extremely stable receiver with a bandwidthof about 1 MHz that could be used as a crude radiometer.Although the radiometer has poor DT of 27 K/pulse, about 5-6 pulses may be averaged over the 25 km wind vector cell,yielding a brightness temperature precision of about 15 K.Because of the large increase in ocean brightness temperaturewith rain (> 100 K), it can be used to determine the presenceof significant rain (> 0.5 mm/hr), and even possibly to makeminor corrections for the attenuation and rain volumebackscatter [71]. Another flag approach used in Europe [72]is similar to that described in [58].

Like its predecessors, QuikSCAT spawned a wealth ofresearch, and many papers continue to appear in the literatureregarding its results and applications. ECMWF and the U.S.National Weather Service are now incorporating SeaWindsdata into their forecasts.

Unfortunately, ADEOS-II lost solar power on 24 October,2003, so it only provided a limited data set. Since the passesover a given area by QuikSCAT and ADEOS-II were at quitedifferent times of day, the double coverage gave informationon diurnal variability that was not available with a singleinstrument. Of course, the ERS-2 provides additional infor-mation, but its much narrower swath (it only observes to oneside of the ground track and is now available only for theNorth Atlantic and a small part of the Pacific) means the

greater coverage from SeaWinds has more value.The rain problem exists with SeaWinds on ADEOS-II as

on QuikSCAT, but the presence of AMSR on the same satel-lite made possible consideration of both rain flagging andactual corrections with a simultaneous radiometer measure-ment. One of the AMSR products is rain rate, which can beused for flagging. Work is underway to use this measurement,and other information, to generate corrections for the effectsof moderate rains [73].

The European Space Agency (ESA) plans a series of meteo-rological satellites MetOp that will include scatterometers.MetOp is a series of three satellites to be launched sequentiallyover 14 years, starting in 2005, and forms the space segment ofEUMETSAT’s Polar System (EPS). Each satellite will have 12instruments, one of which is the scatterometer ASCAT [74]. Itwill be a C-band system with an antenna configuration like thaton ERS1/2, except that it will have coverage on both sides of theground track, like the NSCAT and Seasat. The ±45° beams willextend from 34° to 65° incidence angles and the mid-beamantenna incidence angles will be from 25° to 55°. There will betwo nominally 500-km swaths, one on each side, with an offsetof about 300 km from the sub-satellite track. A thoroughdescription of this system, at the time of writing can be found athttp://www.esa.int/export/esaME/index.html. ESA’s newEnvisat has a SAR, but does not have a scatterometer.

A Ku-band scatterometer AlphaSCAT is planned for thefollow-on to ADEOS-II, but is in the conceptual stage at thetime of writing. This is part of the Global Change ObservationMission (GCOM) of NASDA (now JAXA - Japan AerospaceExploration Agency) and is proposed to be on the GCOM-2Bsatellite [75].

H. Summary of ApplicationsThe primary oceanographic application of spaceborne scat-terometers is measurements of ocean surface wind vector, andsince the early 1990’s both NASA and ESA scatterometershave expanded the breadth of scientific investigations andoperational applications [76]. Further, with the launch ofADEOS-II in December, 2002, there were two SeaWindsinstruments flying in tandem for a brief period. This increasedtemporal sampling (~ 60% of the global oceans in 6 hrs and~90% sampling in 12 hrs). For the first time, it was possible tosupport critical applications in oceanic and ocean-atmosphereinteraction not possible with a single instrument. For example,ocean mixing in midlatitude storm-track regions relies on iner-tial resonance between the surface wind-vector and the oceanmesoscale on local inertial times. The tandem mission therebyallowed the highly transient wind forcing of infrequent stormsto be observed. This intermittency and seasonal importance ofocean mixing leads to an estimate for the North Pacific thatabout 10% of the wind forcing accounts for as much as 70%of the seasonal cooling at the surface due to mixing [77].


Figure 15. Scattering map of the earth’s land surfaces as seen byNSCAT. Note the strong echoes (blue) in tropical forests and weaksignals (yellow or black) in deserts. (From NASA/JPL)

Also, on a larger scale, ocean general-circulation models(OGCM) have reached the sophistication to produce realisticocean responses to measurements of surface wind forcing inshort-term and in climatology. OGCM improvements result,when one uses scatterometer winds, from the high-frequencyand wave-number forcing signals that are badly underestimat-ed by numerical weather prediction. Changing the frequencyof wind observations from 6 hrs to 72 hrs significantlychanges the estimated mixed-layer depth by 5 to 10% [80].

One of the most important applications of scatterometersurface winds is to improve the accuracy of weather analysesand forecasts. Scatterometer data can accurately determine thelocation and structure of significant meteorological featuressuch as low-pressure centers (cyclones), high-pressure centers(anticyclones) , weather fronts, etc. In atmospheric research,the use of scatterometer data in global circulation models hasshown significant improvement in forecasts – especially in theobservation-poor Southern hemisphere [81]. As mentionedabove, operational meteorological agencies of Europe and theUnited States (and soon Japan) are now using scatterometerdata in their models. Figure 10 shows an example of a PacificOcean wind map from QuikSCAT, and Fig.11 shows the sur-face wind map of results from a short period (~ 90 minutes).

The SeaWinds scatterometer has proved useful in hurri-cane monitoring [78, 79]. The ability to assimilate scatterom-eter winds into high-resolution hurricane forecast modelsshowed improvement in the intensity and storm track fore-casts for hurricane Floyd in 1999. The availability of experi-mental higher-spatial-resolution (12.5 km) winds and newwind-retrieval algorithms allows improved retrieval of strongwinds even in the presence of high rainfall [82]. Figure 12shows an example in a hurricane where wind speeds areinferred in excess of 40 m/s.

Scatterometry is also useful for monitoring sea ice extent,and to some extent, ice type [83-87]. Figure 13 shows theextent of sea ice around Antarctica, and is one of many that,when compared, can show the growth and decay of theicepack over the course of a year. Data from SeaWinds areused operationally at NOAA, U.S. National Ice Center (NIC)and other non-U.S. agencies with the passive microwave(SSMI) observations to provide daily sea-ice monitoring inthe North and South Polar regions. Validation studies at theCanadian Ice Services suggest that the QuikSCAT-derivedsea-ice edge is less sensitive to atmospheric effects thanradiometer data. QuikSCAT-derived sea-ice motion has beenfound to complement SSMI-derived motion [85]. Further,QuikSCAT enhanced s0 imagery has proven particularly valu-able in identifying and tracking large Antarctic icebergs [88]and also useful in monitoring conditions on the major glacialice regions. Figure 14 shows an example of the changes dur-ing the melt period in Greenland. Prior to QuikSCAT, scat-terometers could not resolve the diurnal melt cycle of the sur-

face ice and snow. Such information can be expected toimprove the accuracy of ablation estimates, contributing toimproved mass balance estimates [89].

Synoptic-scale meteorological forcing plays an importantrole in determining the eddy kinetic energy in the ocean. Theseeddies are an important pathway for nutrient transport thatdetermine the biological productivity of the ocean surface layer.In the coastal region, wind-driven upwelling provides the nutri-ents for the most productive regions in the marine environment.Scatterometer wind observations provide a unique window intoimportant regions of coastal upwelling [90].

Over land, the use of scatterometers is less well developedthan their use over the ocean. Nevertheless, these low-resolu-tion images appear to have considerable potential for studyingclimate, soil and tree ecophysiology. An image of scatteringfrom land over the globe appears in Figure 15, which showsthe kinds of scattering variations that occur over a variety ofsurface types. A discussion of land observations with theSeasat scatterometer is in [91]. In boreal landscapes the diur-nal variations in backscatter correspond to regions that areundergoing daytime thaw and night-time refreezing, as shownin an NSCAT study [92]. Interestingly the new scatterometersare being used for vegetation mapping in the Amazon basin[93] (Fig.16), a subject also for the first spaceborne scat-terometer, S-193 on Skylab. Other non-oceanic applicationsare treated in papers in a special issue introduced by [94]

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Call for PapersUpcoming Special Section –The EOS Aura Mission

Papers are solicited that (1) describe the instruments and technologiesassociated with the Aura mission, (2) describe the theoretical basis for thealgorithms associated with the Aura instrument data products, and (3) discussthe data product validation approach. The four Aura instruments are HIRDLS,MLS OMI and TES. The Aura mission description can be found at http://eos-aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Procedure:Authors should submit their manuscripts electronically to http://tgrs-ieee.manuscriptcentral.com/. Instructions forcreating new user accounts, if necessary, are available on the login screen. Prospective authors should follow theregular guidelines of the IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing as listed inside the back cover of theTransactions and on the website. Please indicate in your submission that the paper is intended for the Aura SpecialSection by selecting “Aura Special Section” from the pull down menu for manuscript type. Questions concerning thesubmission process should be addressed to [email protected]

Inquiries concerning the Special Section should be directed to the Guest Editors:

Dr. Mark SchoeberlCode 916NASA/GSFCGreenbelt, Md. 20771Telephone: +1 301-614-6002Fax: +1 301-614-5903Email: [email protected]

Dr. Anne DouglassCode 916NASA/GSFCGreenbelt, Md. 20771Telephone: +1 301-614-6028Fax: +1 301-614-5903Email: [email protected]

Mr. Ernest HilsenrathCode 916NASA/GSFCGreenbelt, Md. 20771Telephone: +1 301-614-6033Fax: +1 301-614-5903Email: [email protected]

Submission Deadline: December 1, 2004

October 19-21, 2004Pierre Baudis Convention Center

Toulouse - France

To register for the RADAR 2004 exhibition, please contact /

Pour réserver un espace d'exposition, contacter :

SEE - Groupe Régional Midi-Pyrénées - 2, avenue Edouard Belin, BP 4025

31055 Toulouse (France) - Tél : +33 5 62 25 25 75 - Fax +33 5 62 25 25 77

e-mail : [email protected]

Topics / Thèmes :• Radar Environment and Phenomenology / Environnement du Radar et Phénoménologie• Radar Systems / Systèmes Radar• Remote Sensing from Airborne or Spaceborne Systems / Télédétection à partir de Systèmes

Spatiaux ou Aéroportés• Waveform Design, Beamforming and Signal Processing / Formes d'Onde, Formation de Faisceaux

et Traitement du Signal• Emerging Radar Applications / Applications Radar Emergentes• Emerging Technologies / Technologies Emergentes• Advanced Sub-systems Technologies / Nouvelles Technologies pour sous-systèmes• Computer Modeling and Simulation / Modélisation et Simulation• Radar Management Techniques / Techniques de Commande du Radar (Management)• Automatic Classification / Classification Automatique

For further information please contact / Pour de plus amples informations, contacter :

SEE/Congress Dept. RADAR 2004 - 17, rue Hamelin - 75783 Paris cedex 16 (France)Tel. : +33 1 56 90 37 05 - Fax : +33 1 56 90 37 08 - e-mail : [email protected] / Site Web : http://www.radar2004.org

Exhibition / Exposition :In addition to the conference an exhibition will be organised during RADAR 2004 to illustrate the widevariety of developments in radar techniques / Une exposition sera associée au Congrés RADAR 2004,montrant une grande variété de développements des techniques du radar.



Dr. Alfred T. C. Chang, IEEE Fellow, graduat-ed with a degree in physics from NationalCentral University in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Hethen received his M.S. and Ph.D., also inphysics, at the University of Maryland. He wasemployed by NASA at Goddard Space FlightCenter from 1974 until his death on May 26,2004. Dr. Chang’s main area of research wasthe use of microwave instruments for remotelysensing properties of the atmosphere and land.Most of his illustrious career was spent onanalysis of microwave data of snowcover andrainfall, and he produced several seminalpapers on these subjects, beginning in the ‘70s,

that are still being referenced today. Dr. Changpublished more than 100 journal articles, andamong his honors and awards is the NASAMedal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement.

There will be an IEEE-sponsored memorialsymposium held at NASA’s Goddard SpaceFlight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, onOctober 12, 2004. The symposium, entitledThe Alfred T. C. Chang Memorial Symposium,will consist of invited and contributed presen-tations dealing with microwave remote sens-ing. This website http://neptune.gsfc.nasa.gov/chang/ will provide further information onthe symposium as it becomes available.

Obituary For Dr. Chang

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3rd

GRSS/ISPRS Joint Workshop on Remote Sensing and Data Fusion over Urban Areas

(URBAN 2005)

Tempe ,Arizona (USA), March 12-14, 2004

http://www.urban-remote-sensing.org

in conjunction with

5th

International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Urban Areas (URS 2005)

Joint Conference Chairs:

Jonathan Fink – Arizona State University, USA

Paolo Gamba – University of Pavia, Italy

Olaf Hellwich – Technical University Berlin, Germany

Carsten Juergens – University of Regensburg, Germany

Derya Maktav – Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

URBAN2005 Technical Committee:

Technical Committee Chair: Pierfrancesco Lombardo -

University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy

Workshop topics

Urban remote sensing includes a wide array of research topics

and disciplines, and is emerging as a truly interdisciplinary

field. The joint conferences will feature many special sessions

with oral and poster components.

Topics (and preferred track) are as follow:

- New Sensors and Data (URBAN)

- Advanced Data Processing Techniques (URBAN)

- Urban Structure Detection (URBAN)

- GIS and Urban Image Fusion (URBAN)

- Data Visualization Techniques (URBAN)

- Urban Climatology, Geology, and Geohazards (URS)

- RS Applications to Social Science (URS)

- RS Applications to Urban Planning/Conversation (URS)

- Urban Development and Growth Pattern (URS)

- Urban/Periurban Ecology (URS)

Resulting Publication & Abstract Submission Guidelines

Proceedings will be produced and distributed as an ISPRS

Archives volume via CDROM at the joint conferences.

Please submit a maximum 450 word abstract using the form at

www.urban-remote-sensing.org and indicate your preference for

oral or poster presentation. Abstracts will be reviewed by the

scientific committee and if accepted you will be notified as to the

type of presentation. Please also indicate the preferred conference

to present in (URBAN or URS) and the general abstract topic.

IMPORTANT DATES •

ABSTRACTS DEADLINE OCTOBER, 30TH

, 2004

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE DECEMBER, 15TH

, 2004

FINAL PAPERS DUE JANUARY, 31ST

, 2005

All GRS-S members are requested and encouraged tobecome active in nominating candidates for GRS-SAwards.

GRS-S Distinguished Achievement Award (DAA)Eligibility: IEEE memberships is not required, but is rec-ommended.

The Distinguished Achievement Award was establishedto recognize an individual who was made significant tech-nical contributions, usually over a stained period, withinthe scope of the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society.In selecting the individual, the factors considered are qual-ity, significance and impact of the contributions; quantityof the contributions; duration of significant activity;papers published in archival journals; papers presented atconferences and symposia; patents granted; advancementof the profession. The award is considered annually andpresented only if a suitable candidate is identified. Theawardee receives a plaque and a certificate.

GRS-S Education Award (EA)Eligibility: Member or Affiliate Member of the IEEEGRS-S;

The purpose of this award is to reward significant edu-cational contributions in the field of remote sensing. Theaward shall be considered annually, but will only beawarded when an outstanding recipient is identified. Theawardee receives a certificate.

GRS-S Outstanding Service Award (OSA)Eligibility: Must be an IEEE GRS-S member.

The Outstanding Service Award was established torecognize an individual who has given outstanding ser-vice for the benefit and advancement of the Geoscienceand Remote Sensing Society. The award shall be consid-ered annually but not be presented if a suitable candidateis not identified. The following factors are suggested forconsideration: leadership, innovation, activity, service,duration, breadth of participation and cooperation. Theawardee receives a certificate.NominationThe following items are required until Nov. 30. 2004:Short biography, full CV including work record andachievements, list of publications

Please send a letter of nomination describing the spe-cific contributions of the nominee directly to:

Prof. Werner WiesbeckChair, GRS-Awards CommitteeUniversity of Karlsruhe, IHEKaiserstr. 12, 76131 KarlsruheGERMANYE-Mail: [email protected]


Call for GRS-S MajorAwards Nominations

Name : 2004 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Dates : September 20 - 24, 2004Location: Alaska Egan Convention Center,

Anchorage, Alaska, USAContact: Lisa OstendorfFax: +1+540-658-1686E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.igarss04.org/

Name: RADAR 2004Dates: October 19-21, 2004Location: Toulouse, FranceContact: Marc LesturgieFax: +33-1-569-03708E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.radar2004.org

Name: Sensors 2004 ConferenceDates: October 24-27, 2004Location: University of Technology, Vienna,

AustriaContact: Michiel VellekoopFax: +43+1+58801 36699E-mail: [email protected]: www.ieee.org/sensors2004

Name: SPIE Asia-Pacific Remote SensingSymposium 2004: Conference onMicrowave Remote Sensing of theAtmosphere and Environment IV

Dates: November 8-12, 2004Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Contact: Gail Skofronick JacksonFax: +1+301-614-5888E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.spie.org/info/ae

Name: 2nd International Conference onMicrowaves, Antennas,Propagations and RemoteSensing

Dates: November 23-25, 2004Location: Jodhpur, IndiaContact: O.P.N. CallaFax: 91-0291-2626166E-mail: [email protected]:

Name: AGU Fall Meeting 2004Dates: December 13-17, 2004Location: San Francisco, California, USAContact: AGU Meetings Department, 2000

Florida Avenue, NW, Washington,DC 20009 USA

Fax: +1�202�328�0566 E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm04/

Name: 2004 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference

Dates: December 15-18, 2004Location: New Delhi, IndiaContact: Dr. Mridula. Gupta, UDSCFax: +91-11-26886606E-mail: [email protected]: www.apmc04.org.in

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

See also http://www.techexpo.com/events or http://www.papersinvited.com for more conference listings

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