Verification of microwave scattering mechanisms using optical polarimetric imagery

Observations of microwave backscattering from the sea surface have indicated the presence of scattering mechanisms other than Bragg resonant mechanisms. These conclusions are supported by the study of the line shapes of Doppler spectra and of the dependence of the backscatter on grazing angle, polarization, wind-direction and wind speed. Conjectured non-Bragg scattering mechanisms include specular reflection from facet-like portions of a wave surface as well as double bounce reflections including reflections at the Brewster angle. Using a novel polarimetric optical specular event detector (OSED), temporal correlations have been made with microwave scattering returns allowing spatially resolved identification of wave structures which give rise to the microwave returns and provide direct verification of the prescence of the conjectured scattering mechanisms.