An Initial on-Orbit Performance Assessment of the Compact Ocean Wind Vector Radiometer (COWVR)

The Compact Ocean Wind Vector Radiometer (COWVR) is the first space-based radiometer to utilize electronic polarization basis rotation (EPBR) to measure a swath of polarimetric brightness temperatures without the need to scan the receiver electronics. The COWVR instrument also utilizes internal calibration with noise diode standards to facilitate implementation of the simplified conical-scanning radiometer design. Following successful Calibration of the instrument on-orbit by the multi-agency COWVR Cal/Val team, data provided by the mission Ground Data Processing System (GDPS) was assessed. An analysis of COWVR Wind Speed and Direction performance was performed by Aerospace utilizing matchups with wind retrievals from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on Metop-B and -C. This analysis found that COWVR meets its Ocean Surface Vector Wind requirements established for the COWVR mission.