William G. Pichel

Satellite Oceanography & Climatology Division

Marine Ecosystems & Climate Branch

Recent Publications

To see Mr. Pichel's complete list of publications, abstracts, and citation metrics, visit his ResearcherID page.

photo: William G. Pichel William G. Pichel

Education: M.S. Physical Oceanography, University of Hawaii, 1979 (Thesis Chairman: Dr. Klaus Wyrtki); B.S. Physics (with honors) University of Florida, 1969.

Experience: Mr. Pichel's career with NOAA began in 1970 when he joined the NOAA Commissioned Corps and served aboard the NOAA Ship Researcher attaining the rank of Lieutenant and serving as Computer Officer. He has been an employee of NESDIS since 1973. He has been Product Area Leader for Oceanographic Products (1973-1985), Chief of the Product Systems Branch (1985-1988), and then since 1988 has been a research scientist in the ORA/ORAD. His primary research interests have been in improving satellite sea surface temperature measurements and in ocean applications of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. He served as PI on ERS-1 and RADARSAT-1 SAR projects, and Co-I on an ERS-2 SAR project. He is now PI on ENVISAT, ALOS, and RADARSAT-1 projects, all related to demonstrations of coastal ocean applications of SAR data. Currently the focus of his SAR work is the Alaska SAR Demonstration and the Gulf of Mexico Experiment which are near real-time and retrospective demonstrations of practical SAR applications (high-resolution surface winds for safety of life and property, vessel positions for fisheries management and enforcement, river ice spring breakup monitoring for hazard warnings, sea ice imagery for ice forecasts, oil spill mapping, and river plume monitoring). He has received four Dept. of Commerce Bronze Medals (2002, 1999, 1997, 1993) for his work in developing ocean requirements, for the Alaska SAR Demonstration, for implementing a system for operational use of RADARSAT SAR, and for CoastWatch sea surface temperature product development and implementation. In 2004 he received the Dept. of Commerce Silver Medal for his work on convergence zone monitoring with satellite data in support of marine debris detection.

E-mail to: William.G.Pichel@noaa.gov