Application of Doppler Spectrum of a Backscattered Microwave Signal for a Detection of “Water/Ice” Boundary: A Theoretical Approach

In this theoretical research for the first time the application of the Doppler spectrum of the backscattered microwave signal at small incidence angles $(0^{\circ}-19^{\circ})$ to detect the “sea waves/ice cover” boundary is considered. An original semi-empirical model of the Doppler spectrum for ice cover was developed. A few measurements schemes were considered, in which the variable parameters were the incidence angle, the direction of probing, and the width of the antenna beam. It is shown that measuring from the moving radar permits to easy separate sea waves and ice cover using a Doppler spectrum. The shift and width of the Doppler spectrum are more reliable indicators of a change in the kind of scattering surface than a radar cross section.