Validation of models and algorithms for microwave radiometric investigations of tropical cyclones

The applicability of standard passive microwave data interpreting techniques to observing tropical cyclones is studied basing on the SSM/I observations of tropical cyclones in July-September 1994. It is shown that spatial distributions of wind speed retrieved from the SSM/I data provide a good description of tropical cyclones structure at distances of 200-300 km from the cyclone center including some quantitative parameters. The existing rain rate retrieval algorithms from the SSM/I data are classified according to results of their application to tropical cyclones observations.