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Evaluation of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) Brightness Temperatures

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Date Issued:
2017
Abstract/Description:
The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is an experimental, airborne, microwave remote sensor that was developed to measure hurricane surface wind speed and rain rate, and thereby, provide data for scientific research and for the next generation operational hurricane surveillance. The object of this dissertation is to develop objective procedures and techniques that can be used to evaluate and characterize the HIRAD brightness temperature (Tb) image product provided by NASA MSFC.First, the approach that was developed for geolocation (latitude and longitude) accuracy determination of HIRAD image pixels is presented. Using statistical estimation theory, high-contrast HIRAD imagery are compared with high resolution maps at land/water boundaries, and an error model and measurement results are presented for a variety of pixel locations. Also, a procedure is presented for estimating the HIRAD feature resolution, i.e., the effective spatial resolution (instantaneous field of view, IFOV) in the HIRAD Tb images. Next, the objective technique developed to evaluate HIRAD reconstructed ocean brightness temperature (Tb) images is described and presented. Examples are presented for several ocean scenes, which covers a wide range of ocean wind speed conditions that include Hurricanes. For these cases, surface truth in the form of independent ocean brightness temperatures measurements are obtained by airborne microwave radiometers for comparison.
Title: Evaluation of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) Brightness Temperatures.
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Name(s): Sahawneh, Saleem, Author
Jones, W Linwood, Committee Chair
Mikhael, Wasfy, Committee Member
Wahid, Parveen, Committee Member
Zec, Josko, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2017
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is an experimental, airborne, microwave remote sensor that was developed to measure hurricane surface wind speed and rain rate, and thereby, provide data for scientific research and for the next generation operational hurricane surveillance. The object of this dissertation is to develop objective procedures and techniques that can be used to evaluate and characterize the HIRAD brightness temperature (Tb) image product provided by NASA MSFC.First, the approach that was developed for geolocation (latitude and longitude) accuracy determination of HIRAD image pixels is presented. Using statistical estimation theory, high-contrast HIRAD imagery are compared with high resolution maps at land/water boundaries, and an error model and measurement results are presented for a variety of pixel locations. Also, a procedure is presented for estimating the HIRAD feature resolution, i.e., the effective spatial resolution (instantaneous field of view, IFOV) in the HIRAD Tb images. Next, the objective technique developed to evaluate HIRAD reconstructed ocean brightness temperature (Tb) images is described and presented. Examples are presented for several ocean scenes, which covers a wide range of ocean wind speed conditions that include Hurricanes. For these cases, surface truth in the form of independent ocean brightness temperatures measurements are obtained by airborne microwave radiometers for comparison.
Identifier: CFE0006653 (IID), ucf:51221 (fedora)
Note(s): 2017-05-01
Ph.D.
Engineering and Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering
Doctoral
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): HIRAD -- remote sensing -- SFMR -- brightness temperature
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006653
Restrictions on Access: public 2017-05-15
Host Institution: UCF

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