CONVECTIVE PROCESSES IN NEAR-WATER LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE FROM RADAR IMAGERY OF THE OCEAN SURFACE

Abstract

Atmospheric boundary-layer stratification exerts a considerable influence on side-looking radar imagery of the sea surface in the centimeter range. Characteristic cellular structures present on the imagery under conditions of instability in the atmospheric boundary layer do not appear on images recorded under stable atmospheric conditions. The possibility of observation of dry and moist convection in the atmospheric layer above the water surface is examined.