MURMURE Monitoring the marine environment using miniaturised radar

The MUrMuRE project will enable a small-scale Aperture Synthesis Radiometer (ASR) to be used to collect data on the marine environment and the ocean-atmosphere interface. Such ASRs will be embedded in medium-sized drones (payload < 20kg).

The MUrMuRE research programme will concentrate essentially on the theoretical and methodological aspects of developing embedded, miniaturised  ASRs for gathering information on, for example, sea state, waves and ocean surface wind, and for monitoring (hydrocarbon) pollution, ice and ships.

The requirement for low payload combined with significant accuracy to achieve high-resolution detection means increasing the frequency range compared with the frequencies traditionally used on satellite or airborne ASRs.

The interaction between the information to be extracted (re wind, current, slicks and ships) and the subcentimetre wavelengths deployed has yet to be properly processed and is the essential scientific issue tackled by the MUrMuRE project.