The University of Waterloo Scatterometer (UW-Scat) is a ground-based polarimetric scatterometer used for observations of snow and ice properties. It consists of two scatterometers operating at the Ku-band (17.2 GHz) and X-band (9.6 GHz) frequencies to detect radar backscatter. These measurements are used to derive snow and ice properties, such as snow water equivalent (SWE). UW-Scat has a range resolution of 30 cm and a half-power beam width of 5.6 and 4.3 degrees at Ku-band and X-band, respectively. A full scan of UW-Scat takes approximately 24 minutes to complete.
Instrument Details
- Scatterometer
- Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Cross-sectionEarth Science > Cryosphere > Snow/iceEarth Science > Spectral/engineering > RadarEarth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar BackscatterEarth Science > Terrestrial Hydrosphere > Snow/iceEarth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Solid Precipitation > Snow
- Full Column Profile, Land Surface
- 24 min
- 30 cm
- 17.2 GHz, 9.6 GHz
- https://doi.org/10.1109/LGRS.2012.2212177
Richard Kelly
Aaron Thompson
ProSensing
Currently unavailable
 Campaign Field Sites Stationary 62 Campaigns · 158 Instruments |  SnowEx 2016—2023 Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Alaska Ongoing 4 Deployments · 26 Data Products
|
