Microwave backscattering from the sea surface with breaking waves

Based on the effective medium approximation theory of composites, the whitecap-covered sea surface is treated as a medium layer of dense seawater droplets and air. Two electromagnetic scattering models of randomly rough surface are applied to the investigation of microwave backscattering of breaking waves driven by strong wind. The shapes of seawater droplets are considered by calculating the effective dielectric constant of the whitecap layer. The responses of seawater droplets shapes, such as sphere and ellipsoid, to the backscattering coefficient are discussed. Numerical results of the models are in good agreement with the experimental measurements of horizontally and vertically polarized backscattering at microwave frequency 13.9GHz and different incidence angles.