The power of microwave remote sensing for studying the oceans of the world was demonstrated conclusively by the SEASAT mission in 1978. Since then, no further satellite-flown instruments have been available to provide further data of this type. However, the proposed launch of ESA's ERS-1 satellite will lead to a new set of active microwave instruments being flown in space in 1990. Even though similar data has been obtained from aircraft-flown instruments SAR, scatterometers, altimeters etc. - a great deal of activity has been taking place to develop the necessary expertise in handling and analysing such data when it comes on-stream from ERS-1 and from subsequent satellites. It was against this background that the scientific Affairs Division of NATO again agreed to sponsor an ASI in Dundee in 1988. Its purpose was to review existing knowledge of the extraction of marine and atmospheric geophysical parameters from satellite-gathered microwave data and to enable scientists to prepare themselves and their computing systems to utilise the new data when it becomes available. The importance of the data is largely as input parameters to assist in the fitting of boundary conditions in large computer models. The course was concerned more with the non-imaging instruments, that is with passive radiometers, altimeters and scatterometers, than with the (imaging) synthetic aperture radar.

Inhalt

1. On the Role of Science in Preparing Operational Uses of Earth Observations from Space.- 2. General Principles of Relevant Satellite Systems.- 3. Satellite Radar Altimeters.- 4. Measuring Ocean Waves with Altimeters and Synthetic Aperture Radars.- 5. The Scatterometer: Data and Applications.- 6. Sunglint and the Study of Near-Surface Windspeeds over the Oceans.- 7. Satellite Infrared Scanning Radiometers - AVHRR and ATSR/M.- 8. Handling Airborne Thematic Mapper Data.- 9. Microwave Radiometers.- 10. Microwave Atmospheric Sounding (Water Vapor and Liquid Water).- 11. In-situ Measurements for Validation of Microwave Data: Problems, Accuracies.- 12. Passive Microwave Satellite Imagery for Improved Rainfall Monitoring and Forecasting over Sea Areas.- 13. The Potential Impact of Advanced Spaceborne Microwave Sensors onto Marine Weather Nowcasting and Very Short Range Forecast.- 14. Desertification Studies.- 15. Integration of Satellite-Derived Products.- 16. The ERS-1 Satellite: Oceanography from Space.- 17. Wind Fields and Surface Fluxes.- Colour Section.- List Of Participants.