Limiting accuracy of the dual-frequency microwave interferometry measurement for sea surface monitoring from space.

The method based on the dual-frequency correlation function of reflected signals is one of the effective approaches for sea wave height estimation in radar altimetry. This method, however, has been applied for relatively low-altitude flights. As shown in our early studies, for the estimation of the sea wave heights using the dual-frequency correlation function, it is necessary to synthesize the array antennas, which are perpendicular to the flight direction. In this paper, we derived the limiting accuracy of the measurement of the sea wave heights using the dual-frequency microwave interferometry, and analyzed its dependence on the sea wave heights and the radar system parameters. Evaluation of the limiting accuracy of the measurement of the sea wave heights shown in the paper verified its high accuracy for sea status monitoring using a small remote sensing spacecraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]