This study compares wind speeds derived from five satellite microwave radiometers with\nthose directly observed by buoy-mounted anemometers and the global analyses produced by the\nEuropean Center for Medium-RangeWeather Forecasts (ECMWF) model. Buoy comparisons yield\nwind speed root mean square errors of 0.82 m/s forWindSat, 1.45 m/s for SSMIS F16, 1.39 m/s for\nSSMIS F17, 1.43 m/s for AMSR-E, and 1.45 m/s for AMSR2. The overall mean bias for each satellite is\ntypically <0.25 m/s when averaged over all selected buoys for a given study time. The satellite wind\nspeeds are underestimated with respect to the buoy observations at a band of the tropical Pacific\nOcean from âË?â??8ââ??¦S to 4ââ??¦N. The mean buoyââ?¬â??satellite difference as a function of year is always <0.4 m/s,\nexcept for SSMIS F16. The selected satellite wind speeds show an obvious seasonal characteristic at\nhigh latitudes. In comparison with the ECMWF data, some obviously positive differences exist at\nhigh southern latitudes in January and at high northern latitudes in July.
Loading....