Ka-Band Radar Backscattering from Breaking Wind Waves

Field Ka-band radar measurements of breaking wind waves, identified with synchronized video recordings, are presented. Separating video frames with and without breakers, the breaker-free (background) and breaker-disturbed surface normalized radar cross-section (NRCS) are estimated, and analyzed along long wave profiles. Breaker NRCS signals depict clear non-polarized features near long wave crests. Simultaneous breaker radar footprint fraction measurements enables the precise estimation of pure breaker NRCS, suitable to model both wave breaking and Doppler signatures.