Legacy of the Seasat mission for studies of the atmosphere and air- sea-ice interactions

Abstract

The polar-orbiting satellite, Seasat, had been designed as an oceanographic satellite with little advance thought being given to atmospheric uses. However, the microwave instruments provided a rich source of data for studying atmospheric conditions. The simultaneous sampling by several instruments generated special benefits, a situation which to date has not been repeated. In this review we emphasize studies of midlatitude and tropical cyclones and regional weather and climate analyses. We also touch upon studies of long swell, sea ice, and continental ice sheets with Seasat data. -from Authors