We have constructed a model which generates coherent time sequences of combined simulated whitecap and glitter radiance images. The algorithm uses a wiid wave power spectrum and generates an initial ocean wave surface via a Monte Carlo method. The linear wave dispersion relation is used to produce time sequences of ocean surfaces from the initial surface. Each of these surfaces is composed of facets that are defined by the numerical procedure. By treating each of the 'facets as a roughened surface, glitter radiance fields are generated. The reflectivity of each of the facets is a functional of the source and viewing angles, with roughness as an additional parameter. The wave height acceleration fields are also calculated from each of the ocean surfaces. A downwardacceleration threshold is used to determine whether a particular facet contains whitecaps and to determine the mean reflectivity. Thus whitecap radiance fields coherent with the glitter field are generated. The two radiance fields are then combined to generate simulated whitecap/glitter radiance fields which are compared to field data and results of these comparisons are presented.

Date Published: 1 September 1990
PDF: 15 pages
Proc. SPIE 1302, Ocean Optics X, (1 September 1990); doi: 10.1117/12.21468

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1302:
Ocean Optics X
Richard W. Spinrad, Editor(s)