Improved NASA scatterometer geophysical model function for tropical cyclones

The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) has been used to infer ocean surface wind vectors in tropical cyclones, but these measurements have generally under-estimated the high winds. This research provides an improved relationship, between the radar backscatter and the ocean surface wind vector, known as the geophysical model function (GMF). Satellite and airborne scatterometer backscatter measurements, obtained during tropical cyclones, are used to develop a neural network based GMF. NSCAT wind retrievals in a Pacific typhoon are presented that yield higher surface wind speeds for this GMF than produced using the current NSCAT GMF (NSCAT1)