Wave factors affecting the clarity of sea wave stripes in SAR images

Extracting wave information from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery is an essential method for wave observation. The accuracy of wave information obtained by SAR is influenced by the clarity of wave stripes. However, the wave conditions under which clear wave stripes can be obtained still unresolved. This study utilizes Envisat SAR wave mode imagery, combined with wave parameters from reanalysis data, to investigate the impact of wave propagation direction, significant wave height, wave steepness, and other parameters on the clarity of wave stripes. It was found that the significant wave height and cutoff wavelength respond best to the clarity of SAR image stripes, followed by wave steepness, and that waves propagating in the range direction are more easily imaged. This study can provide valuable references for improving the accuracy of wave parameter inversion for wave mode data such as GF-3.