Scatterometers
The purpose of the Wind Scatterometer is to obtain information on wind speed and direction at the sea surface. These wind vectors can then be incorporated into models, global statistics and climatological data sets. The Wind Scatterometer measures the echo power of a signal transmitted by the satellite and returned from the ocean surface. The echo power is affected by the surface wind conditions. Three antennae are used to obtain information about the wind at the ocean surface. Each antenna points in a different direction, and hence for a particular point on the ocean surface three echo power values, obtained from three different angles, are used to calculate the surface wind vectors. Additional information available at "http://earth.esrin.esa.it/rootcollection/sysutil/01069.html" [Summary provided by ESA]