Abstract:

Sea-surface wind fields are critical parameters in marine environments, influencing ocean circulation, meteorology, and climate dynamics. To assess the accuracy of satellite-derived ocean wind products and characterize their error distribution, this study validates sea-surface wind field retrievals using a combination of satellite remote sensing and ocean buoy measurements. Wind field estimates from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) aboard the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites’ MetOp series were compared against buoy observations from four buoy database including the U.S. National Data Buoy Center, et al. over the 2013—2022 period. Following data preprocessing and spatiotemporal collocation, statistical metrics—including mean bias, root-mean-square error, and correlation coefficients—were employed to evaluate ASCAT wind field accuracy. Results indicate strong agreement between ASCAT-derived and buoy-measured wind fields, with correlation coefficients of 0.928 for wind speed and 0.867 for wind direction. The standard deviation of wind speed is 0.889 m/s, while that of wind direction is 22.168°. Among buoy networks, NDBC sites exhibited the most stable wind speed and direction deviations. This validation study enhances the reliability of satellite-derived wind fields, contributing to improved weather forecasting, climate research, ocean engineering, and disaster warning systems. Additionally, the findings support the continuous refinement of satellite payloads and retrieval algorithms.

Key words: ocean buoy, sea-surface wind, satellite remote sensing, validation, marine meteorology, marine environmental monitoring