Measurements of Sea Clutter at Low Grazing Angle in Mediterranean Coastal Environment

Results of a coastal measurement campaign called MediterraneAn Rfc and cLutter ENvironmental Experiment (MARLENE) are presented and studied. The campaign was held in spring 2014, on a DGA site in the Mediterranean Sea region of Toulon, France. Three coastal measurement radar systems, Millimeter wave Experimental Multifrequency Polarimetric High Resolution Interferometric System (Fraunhofer FHR), MARSIG (WTD 71), and MEDYCIS (ONERA), were deployed to simultaneously acquire sea clutter measurements. During the campaign, the in situ oceanic and meteorological conditions were characterized from the RV PLANET meteorological ship deployed by WTD 71 and by modeling from WAVEWATCH III and SWAN wave models. Radar measurements were performed at the C-, X-, Ku-, Ka-, and W-bands. The measurement results are presented in terms of reflectivity and mean Doppler spectrum according to low grazing angle and azimuth variations. Reflectivity variations are compared with the empirical GIT model and close results are obtained at the C- and Ka-bands. At the same frequency bands, mean Doppler Spectrum velocity is presented and analyzed according to grazing and azimuth angles. Physical interpretations of electromagnetic interaction with sea surface are discussed.