First GPS signals reflected from the interior of a tropical storm: Preliminary results from Hurricane Michael

Abstract

Using GPS signals reflected from the ocean surface is developing into a simple technique for measuring sea-state and inferring surface wind speeds. Theoretical models have been developed which are considered valid to approximately 24 meters per second. The GPS reflection technique has an obvious extension to extremely high sea states, cyclones and extra-tropical storms. In October of 2000 a GPS system mounted in a NOAA Hurricane Hunter research aircraft, was flown into Hurricane Michael off the South Carolina coast. The first acquisition of GPS signals reflected from the sea surface inside tropical cyclones was accomplished. This paper presents some examples of the data sets as well as early wind speed retrieval results using direct extensions of current models. Data from the GPS wind speed retrievals as well as from direct aircraft measurements are compared and discussed.