X-Band Two-Scale Sea Surface Scattering Model to Predict the Contrast due to an Oil slick

Abstract

In this study a sea/oil contrast model, based on the two-scale sea surface scattering Boundary Perturbation Model (BPM) and an improved Marangoni damping model, is exploited to predict the X-band contrast due to an oil slick. Theoretical predictions are then compared with actual X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) measurements collected by COSMOSkyMed © and TerraSAR-X© satellites over the polluted area off the Aberdeen coast (United Kingdom) during the Gannet Alpha oil spillage occurred in 2011. The contrast model is here verified at X-band for the first time and exploited in a very challenging scenario, i.e., when an oil slick is in place. In addition, a detailed analysis on the effect of sensor’s noise equivalent sigma zero (NESZ) on the predicted and measured contrast is undertaken. Experimental results confirm model predictions, witnessing a remarkable agreement between predicted and measured contrasts. Moreover, they demonstrate that NESZ significantly affects the information content of the signal backscattered off the oil-covered area.