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Instrument

WSRA
NOAA Wide Swath Radar Altimeter

The NOAA Wide Swath Radar Altimeter (WSRA) is an airborne radar system developed by ProSensing. It measures radar backscatter to determine significant wave height, ocean wave spectra, wave topography, and rainfall rate. WSRA is typically flown on NOAA P-3D aircraft for hurricane missions. It operates at 16 GHz and has a sampling rate of 10 Hz. WSRA has a spatial resolution of 5.5-8 km in the along-track direction and 2 km in the across-track direction. It has a total swath width of 3 km.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica's tallest peak, Mount Vinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. Credit: NASA/Michael Studinger (Photography courtesy NASA Images)

Overview

Instrument Details

Radar
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wave Spectra
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wave Height
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Precipitation > Precipitation Rate
Earth Science > Spectral/engineering > Radar > Radar Backscatter
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Topographic Waves
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Significant Wave Height
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Waves > Wave Speed/direction
Sea/Ocean/Water Surface
10 Hz
5.5-8 km, 2 km
16 GHz
Currently unavailble

  • Ivan PopStefanija, Christopher Fairall

  • Ivan PopStefanija, Christopher Fairall

  • ProSensing

  • NOAA, CASCA

  • Overview PublicationExternal Link

    • data center outside NASA

Instrument Operation

Data Products