Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Global satellite measurements of water vapour, wind speed and wave height

Abstract

Data from the 100 days of Seasat observations in 1978 provided the first global maps of mean wind speed and wave height measured from satellites. They reveal previously unknown features in both fields and demonstrate the potential for satellite monitoring and forecasting of the worldwide sea state.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Science 204, 1405–1424 (1979).

  2. Walsh, J., Uliana, E. A. & Yaplee, B. S. Bound. Layer Met. 13, 263–276 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Fedor, L. S. & Brown, G. S. J. geophys. Res. (in the press).

  4. Brown, G. S. J. geophys. Res. 84(B8), 3974–3978 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Tapley, B. D., Lundberg, J. B. & Born, G. H. J. geophys. Res. (in the press).

  6. Nelson, C. S. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS SSRF-714 (1977).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chelton, D., Hussey, K. & Parke, M. Global satellite measurements of water vapour, wind speed and wave height. Nature 294, 529–532 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/294529a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/294529a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing