Polarimetric scanning radiometer for airborne microwave imaging studies

Abstract- A multiband microwave polarimetric scan-ning radiometer (PSR) has been constructed for airborne observations from the NASA DC-8 airborne platform. The primary application of the PSR is the development of optimal spaceborne hardware configurations and retrieval algorithms for passive wind-vector sensing over the ocean surface. Four radiometers, operating at 10.7, 18.7, 37, and 89 GHz, each measure the first three modifed Stokes' parameters {Tv, Th, and Tu). A gimballed mechanism al-lows observations at any incident angle within a cone of ~ 70 ° half-angle around nadir. The PSR's four radiome-ters and two-axis scanning capability will provide unique polarimetric data for microwave emission studies of both ocean and land surfaces, as well as atmospheric clouds and precipitation. 1