Complex indices of refraction for water near 25 degrees C were obtained from six references, and the most representative values in the wavelength range of 2000 A to 5 cm were selected. These were used to study the polarized reflectance and emissivity of both specular and wind-roughened surfaces as functions of wavelength and viewing angle. Applications to remote sensing of sea surface temperature and wave state are discussed, including effects of salinity.
Theoretical effects of atmospheric state, nadir angle, cloud amount, cloud height, and random noise on temperature data from the NOAA series satellites are investigated. These satellites have a dual‐channel (visible and infrared) scanning radiometer. Temperature departures for nadir viewing range from 2.2°K for a dry winter atmosphere to 10.5°K under moist subtropical summer conditions. An 8°K temperature difference at the sea surface when viewed at zero nadir angle through the 30° N‐July standard atmosphere registers less than 3°K at the satellite and is further compressed to 1°K when viewed at a 60° nadir angle. A 10% cloud cover can introduce errors that range from 0.5°K to 4°K depending on cumuloform cloud height; hence clouds must be completely eliminated in the analysis. Random noise in radiosonde data can introduce errors greater than 1°K for any given sounding; however, compositing and smoothing will eliminate most of this error source. A correction scheme for cloud‐free conditions is developed that is essentially free of bias. A reasonable error estimate for the total system is of the order of 2°K.
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