Patent ID: 6137437
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: G01S,Y02A

Abstract:
A scatterometer mounted on-board a spacecraft orbiting around the Earth at a determined speed for acquiring points over a strip of an Earth surface measuring determined physical parameters based upon the acquired point, comprising:a single antenna continuously rotated at a determined rotation rate around an axis directed vertical to a sub-spacecraft track on said Earth surface; anda transmitter-receiver coupled to said antenna configured to generate radar signals to illuminate said Earth surface by a fan-beam covering a radially extending footprint that sweeps a circular disc pattern around said vertical axis when said antenna is rotating, to receive radar echo signals echoed from any discrete point of said Earth surface when illuminated by said radar signals, and to derive said physical parameters by processing said radar echo signals,wherein said determined rotation rate, relative to said determined spacecraft speed, provides overlapping successive sweeps each corresponding to a complete rotation of said fan-beam so that any point of said strip across said sub-spacecraft track is acquired during an overpass over said track at least three occasions corresponding to different azimuth angles.