Advancements in Scatterometer Wind Processing

The EUMETSAT Advanced Scatterometer ASCAT on MetOp-A was launched on 19 October 2006 as the third wind scatterometer currently in space joining up with the ESA ERS-2 and the NASA SeaWinds scatterometers. Scatterometers measure the radar backscatter from wind generated cm-size gravity-capillary waves and provide high-resolution wind vector fields over the sea. Wind speed and wind direction are provided with high quality and uniquely define the mesoscale wind vector field at the sea surface. The all-weather ERS scatterometer observations have proven important for the forecasting of dynamical and severe weather. Oceanographic applications have been initiated using winds from SeaWinds on QuikScat, since scatterometers provide unique forcing information on the ocean eddy scale. Together, ERS-2, ASCAT and
SeaWinds provide good coverage over the oceans and are now used routinely in marine and weather forecasting. In this paper we show progress in high resolution processing and its verification, in providing gridded winds with mesoscale detail, and in processing closer to the coast with improved geophysical interpretation.