And, methinks the Earth Observatory knows of what they speak. On the aforementioned site, it’s explained how the satellite measures the wind speed over the water, which is astonishing:
The strength and scope of these winds were observed by NASA’s QuikScat
satellite at about 7 a.m. local time October 22. The wind speeds are
shown in colors and the direction by small white barbs. The dominant
direction of the winds is offshore, from the high deserts of the Great
Basin southwest toward the Pacific Ocean. QuikScat measures wind speed
over the ocean only, by sending radar pulses to the surface and
measuring the strength of the signals returned. The strength and
direction of the return signal reveal how winds are stirring the
surface of the ocean.
Fascinating image…
Kit Stolz 