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IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Volume 46 Number 1, January 1998

Sea-Spike Backscatter from a Steepening Wave

Page 108.

Abstract:

H-pol and V-pol backscatter cross sections at incidence angles of 85^{irc}, 60^{irc}, and 40^{irc} are computed at X-band for two temporal sequences of simulated sea waves, one with a wavelength of 1 m and the other with a 2.3-m wavelength, that are steepening as they undergo breaking. At an incidence angle of 85^{irc} (5^{irc} grazing) H-pol and V-pol backscatter from these waves are shown to have the characteristics of a sea spike. At a 60^{irc} incidence angle only the 1-m sequence produces a sea spike. No sea spike is seen from either sequence at 40^{irc}.

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