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Comparison of QuikSCAT and Oscat

The ISRO Oceansat-2 scatterometer (Oscat) is very similar, but not identical to the SeaWinds scatterometer flown on QuikSCAT. The following detail some of the differences. Note that since some parameters (such as orbit height) vary over the mission life, the values are the nominal reported values for each sensor.

 QuikSCAT Oscat
 
Parameter    
Orbit Altitude 800 km 720 km
Orbit Inclination 98.6 deg 98.28 deg
Orbit Asc Node time 6:00 a.m. +/- 30 min 12:00 midnight +/- 30 min
Orbit Period 101 min 99.31 min
Orbits/Day (approx) 14.25 14.5
Orbit Repeat Cycle 4 days 2 days
Satellite altitude at equator 803 km 720 km
Frequency 13.402 GHz 13.515 GHz
Wavelength 2.24 cm 2.21 cm
Antenna Spin Rate 18 rpm 20.5 rpm
PRF* 92.5 Hz 96.5 Hz
Mission Data Length 19 Jun 1999-
23 Nov 2009		 23 Sep 2009-
Inner Beam Polarization HH HH
Inner Beam Incidence Angle 46 deg 49 deg
Inner Beam Slant Range 1100 km 1031 km
Inner Beam Swath Width 1400 km 1400 km
Inner Beam Reported Slices 8 7
Inner Beam Beamwidth (Az,El) 1.6 deg by 1.8 deg 1.47 deg by 1.62 deg
Inner Beam Egg Footprint (Az,Rg) 24.0 km by 31.0 km 26.8 km by 45.1 km
Outer Beam Polarization VV VV
Outer Beam Incidence Angle 54.1 deg 57 deg
Outer Beam Slant Range 1245 km 1208 km
Outer Beam Swath Width 1800 km 1836 km
Outer Beam Reported Slices 8 12
Outer Beam Beamwidth (Az,Rg) 1.4 deg by 1.7 deg 1.39 deg by 1.72 deg
Outer Beam Egg Footprint (Az, El) 26.0 km by 36.0 km 29.7 km by 68.5 km

* Note that transmit pulses alternate between beams. The Oscat PRF is looked to the spin position while QuikSCAT is free-running.