Results 



The values of variance obtained from the wave staff were: 



DATE 



VARIANCE 



1430-1^50 7 March 1966 



0.32 m 2 



1450-1510 



• 35 



1510-1530 



• 37 



1530-1550 



.42 



1550-1610 



•39 



1610-1630 



•45 



Application of an F test at the 95-percent confidence level shows 

 a significant increase in the energy of the sea surface during the 

 experiment . 



The wave staff spectra show that the sea was a mixture of swell 

 with energy around 11 seconds and sea with energy around 7 seconds. 

 Toward the end of the observation period, the sea portion of the spec- 

 tra increased considerably and produced the significant increase in 

 variance . 



The airborne wave profiler showed that the field was not homoge- 

 neous. The significant change in variance along the northeast -south- 

 west legs (.26 m 2 to .36 m 2 ) probably resulted from shoaling of waves 

 as they moved into the area northeast of the tower. The significant 

 variation between legs is expected, owing to the attitude of the flight 

 track relative to wave progression. 



The reflectance curves from the scatterometer were similar, regard- 

 less of the path or position within the wave field. Furthermore, fore- 

 and-aft scatter patterns were generally similar throughout the area. 

 There was no significant change in reflectance anywhere in the pattern 

 for observation angles near the nadir. 



At 30° and 55° angles from nadir there was a significant change 

 in reflectance between legs. For 30° angles from nadir, the maximum 

 reflectance occurred on a southwest to northeast track, and minimum 

 reflectance occurred on a northwest to southeast track. For 55° angles 

 from nadir, the maximum reflectance occurred on a northwest to south- 

 east track, and the minimum reflectance occurred on a southeast to 

 northwest track. 



Conclusions 



Since the wave field was neither stationary nor homogeneous, the 

 response of the scatterometer to simple variations of sea state could 

 not be tested. However, certain characteristics of the scatterometer 



30 



