Table 9 



SUMMARY OF NIMBUS 5 MICROWAVE 

 RADIOMETER CHARACTERISTICS 



Microwave radiometers have been used routinely in 

 the NIMBUS satellites to measure the temperature of the sea. Obtainable 

 accuracy is in the range of 1 to 2°K.''' Wind speed can be inferred from 

 the enhancement of the apparent sea microwave brightness temperature 

 above the prevailing background level. As described earlier, wind- 

 driven foam and white caps are better emitters of microwave energy than 

 the quiescent ocean surface, which results in a higher apparent bright- 

 ness temperature. Nordberg et al. demonstrated that a linear 



56 



