Abstract
A comparison study for the performances of seven wind estimation algorithms for spaceborne scatterometers is reported. These algorithms are: weighted least square in log domain (WLSL), maximum-likelihood (ML), least square (LS), weighted least square (WLS), adjustable weighted least square (AWLS), L1 norm, and least wind speed square (LWSS) algorithms using radar scatterometer measurements. For each algorithm, the system performance simulation results for the NASA scatterometer (NSCAT) system planned to be launched in the 1990s are presented. A relative performance merit based on the root-mean-square value of wind vector error was devised for this comparison study. The issue of using a two-stage wind estimation method to reduce both the computational load and the impact of estimates on algorithm performance is discussed.