Air and sea surface temperature measurements using a 60-GHz microwave rotating radiometer

Data obtained from a single-channel scanning 5 mm radiometer on a research vessel were used for the study of sea surface temperature and lower-atmospheric temperature; profiles under neutral, weakly stable, and unstable conditions. Comparisons with in situ air and water temperature measurements, dropsonde temperature data, radiosonde data, and VV Ku-band side-looking radar images are presented. The technique based on 5-mm measurements determines the air-skin water (skin depth of 0.3 mm) temperature difference with an accuracy of the order of 0.1 K. Analysis of the experimental data suggests that the air-skin water temperature difference depends weakly on solar heating and wind speed V for 2.5