基于MODIS热红外数据的渤海海冰厚度反演

Level ice thickness distribution pattern in the Bohai Sea in the winter of 2009–2010 was investigated in this paper using MODIS night-time thermal infrared imagery.The cloud cover in the imagery was masked out manually.Level ice thickness was calculated using MODIS ice surface temperature and an ice surface heat balance equation.Weather forcing data was from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF) analyses.The retrieved ice thickness agreed reasonable well with in situ observations from two off-shore oil platforms.The overall bias and the root mean square error of the MODIS ice thickness are –1.4 cm and 3.9 cm,respectively.The MODIS results under cold conditions(air temperature –10°C) also agree with the estimated ice growth from Lebedev and Zubov models.The MODIS ice thickness is sensitive to the changes of the sea ice and air temperature,in particular when the sea ice is relatively thin.It is less sensitive to the wind speed.Our method is feasible for the Bohai Sea operational ice thickness analyses during cold freezing seasons.     

Use of enhanced infrared satellite imagery for sea ice and oceanographic studies

Infrared (i.r.) imagery from the NOAA 2,3, and 4 satellites could be used to measure accurately the absolute temperature of the sea surface and sea water. Comparison with measured temperatures indicate that the satellite observed values are within 2°C of those measured. Contouring temperatures and observing temperature fluctuations within 0·5°C is also possible by enhancing the infrared image. This is done by confining the 16 steps of gray of the image to a desired small temperature scale. The existence of open water areas within the pack ice and the positions of the ice edges could be readily distinguishable by generating special imagery in such a way that the gray scale covers two temperature ranges with a gray tone jump at the freezing point of sea water. In this way ice-water boundary appears as a line of demarcation between two different gray tones. Because the i.r. imagery is available all year round these techniques are readily applicable at all times especially during the winter months when the low sun angles make visible imagery not useful.     

Thermal remote sensing of estuarine spatial dynamics: Effects of bottom-generated vertical mixing

In a recent paper, Hedger, R.D., Malthus, T.J., Folkard, A.M., Atkinson, P.M. [2007. Spatial dynamics of estuarine water surface temperature from airborne remote sensing. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 71, 608–615] demonstrate that airborne thermal remote sensing shows great potential for monitoring estuarine dynamics and surface currents. One aspect needing further attention is the impact of bottom-generated vertical mixing as this can create both stationary thermal features as well as thermal patterns that advect with the flow. This dual effect is illustrated using airborne infrared imagery of a mixing front having an embedded pattern of thermal boils. The boils are several meters in diameter (in water less than 4 m deep) and are ∼0.2 °C cooler than the ambient water surface. Time sequential imagery that captures the movement of individual boils as well as their growth rate can be used to deduce both the near-surface current and the intensity of turbulent mixing.     

On quantitative analysis and isotherm indication technique from infrared imagery of sea surface

This paper presents a technique for quantitative measurements and isotherm indications of temperature distributions of sea surface by means of infrared imagery obtained by AGA-Thermovision. Reading of the sea surface temperature from the infrared imagery is performed by a photographic densitometer and isotherm indication is performed by a color densitometer. Characteristics of this technique are described with several examples.     

The usefulness of Nimbus CZCS imagery in the South-Western Indian Ocean

Aspects of the South-West Indian Ocean circulation, such as currents and their meanders and eddies, are chromatographically identified in the area 20–40°S, 30–40°E from the level-2 images of the Nimbus-7 Coastal Zone Colour Scanner (CZCS). Notwithstanding the inescapable obstruction presented by the extensive cloud-cover over this subtropical region, CZCS imagery is especially useful in areas of weak thermal gradients. Other regions where colour imagery is fruitful are those where oceanographic features originate from deep-sea water masses with large phytoplanicton concentrations or where coastal waters with distinct colour signals are entrained.     

近岸流系与长江入海悬浮泥沙输移扩散

通过两年较完整的序列 NOAA/AVHRR 数据和实测含沙量资料,利用考虑近岸Ⅱ类水体大气校正的泥沙定量反演算法,获得了较高精度的河口高浓度泥沙遥感反演模式;利用泥沙浓度分级图和反映流系特征的温度图象,系统分析了长江口悬浮泥沙扩散途径、范围及其与近岸流系的关系。影响长江入海悬浮泥沙扩散的近岸流系主要包括台湾暖流、黄海混合水、苏北沿岸流及浙江沿岸流等。冬季,近岸流系比较稳定,其配置状况在一定程度上影响着苏北沿岸泥沙流向长江口的扩散,并制约着入海悬浮泥沙的扩散途径;洪季,长江入海径流量是影响悬浮泥沙扩散的重要因子。同时,长江冲淡水、浙江沿岸流共同形成的冷水区与台湾暖流水之间锋面的强度,也对悬浮泥沙和冲淡水的扩散方向和范围有重要影响;春、秋两季入海悬浮泥沙的扩散型式分别向夏、冬季的分布格局过渡。此外,风应力显著影响着浑水区的扩散方向和范围。风浪掀沙引起的河口泥沙再悬浮,可使近岸泥沙扩散范围增大。     

Hydrography and phytoplankton of waters off south-west Ireland

Distributions of physical, chemical and biological characteristics were recorded for coastal waters off south-west Ireland during the summers of 1985–1987. A number of thermal fronts were identified from both shipboard measurements and satellite imagery. Upwelling was shown to be an important process in the area and enhanced phytoplankton biomass and productivity were associated with areas of upwelling and the fronts. Phytoplankton species composition, although varying between cruises, was associated with differences in hydrographic features.     

Classification of mesoscale features in the Brazil-Falkland Current confluence zone

The south-western Atlantic region, 30–46°S, 35–55°W is noted for the confluence of the warm Brazil Current and the cold Falkland Current, as well as the eddies created from the two systems. Previous studies of the Brazil-Falkland Current confluence have concentrated on the formation of eddies south of 35°S. However, in situ measurements and TOPEX/POSEIDON imagery of the region reveal eddies developing as far north as 32°S. These features are not evident in the coincident AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) imagery. In this study, the origin of the eddies identified are discussed with reference to the contemporary in situ measurements of temperature and salinity. Using the combination of satellite imagery and in situ data, it can be determined that the surface waters of the eddies north of 36°S are influenced by water from an estuarine source. TOPEX imagery enables the movements and variability of the regions water masses: estuarine outflow, Falkland and Brazil currents, to be monitored synoptically. The combination of satellite imagery and the higher resolution of in situ AMT measurements enables these water masses to be better identified.     

Application of satellite infrared data for mapping of thermal plume contamination in coastal ecosystem of Korea

The 5900 MW Younggwang nuclear power station on the west coast of Korea discharges warm water affecting coastal ecology [KORDI report (2003). Wide area observation of the impact of the operation of Younggwang nuclear power plant 5 and 6, No. BSPI 319-00-1426-3, KORDI, Seoul, Korea]. Here the spatial and temporal characteristics of the thermal plume signature of warm water are reported from a time series (1985-2003) of space-borne, thermal infrared data from Landsat and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites. Sea surface temperature (SST) were characterized using advanced very high resolution radiometer data from the NOAA satellites. These data demonstrated the general pattern and extension of the thermal plume signature in the Younggwang coastal areas. In contrast, the analysis of SST from thematic mapper data using the Landsat-5 and 7 satellites provided enhanced information about the plume shape, dimension and direction of dispersion in these waters. The thermal plume signature was detected from 70 to 100 km to the south of the discharge during the summer monsoon and 50 to 70 km to the northwest during the winter monsoon. The mean detected plume temperature was 28 degrees C in summer and 12 degrees C in winter. The DeltaT varied from 2 to 4 degrees C in winter and 2 degrees C in summer. These values are lower than the re-circulating water temperature (6-9 degrees C). In addition the temperature difference between tidal flats and offshore (SSTtidal flats - SSToffsore) was found to vary from 5.4 to 8.5 degrees C during the flood tides and 3.5 degrees C during the ebb tide. The data also suggest that water heated by direct solar radiation on the tidal flats during the flood tides might have been transported offshore during the ebb tide. Based on these results we suggest that there is an urgent need to protect the health of Younggwang coastal marine ecosystem from the severe thermal impact by the large quantity of warm water discharged from the Younggwang nuclear power plant.     

Near-equatorial eddies off South America

A considerable amount of the Amazon River water that is discharged into the equatorial Atlantic is then advected northward along the shelf by the strong North Brazil Current (NBC). Being relatively fresh, this water remains in the near-surface layer and can serve as an excellent tracer for the complex and variable flow of the offshore mesoscale eddies. Both surface salinity observations and CZCS (Coastal Zone Color Scanner) imagery can be mapped to estimate the circulation patterns of the eddies. Presented here are two sets of XBT (expendable bathythermograph) sections that give the thermal structure of eddies off the Demerara Rise (6–9°N). They were occupied nearly contemporaneously with CZCS imagery obtained during October 1980 and November 1981. Several studies have shown from ship drift data, from CZCS observations, and from Geosat altimetry that, particularly during late summer and fall, the NBC is found to retroflect offshore to the east, supplying the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) and is associated with eddies along the coast. Good agreement is shown between the CZCS and a NAVOCEANO AXBT (airborne bathythermograph) survey during this period as well as observations of surface phytoplankton and geopotential anomaly from an earlier 1964 survey. Estimates of volume transport within the eddy structure indicate that at times the offshore retroflection during spring as well as autumn can amount to 10 × 10⁶ m³ s^–1. The pronounced eddy variability off South America is shown by comparing a number of past hydrographic surveys. These suggest that considerable spatial variability can occur as can seasonal changes in volume transport of the NBC and the associated eddy circulation.     

Pushbroom-Frame Imagery Co-Registration

More and more littoral surveys are conducted with aerial platform sensor suites that include a hyperspectral pushbroom sensor and a frame camera. However, in some cases, data from auxiliary sensors may contain errors or are not available. For many research groups, a high-accuracy registration of the multi-sensor data relative to each other is essential, while absolute geo-location of each individual measurement is not. A co-registration procedure was developed for pseudo ortho-rectification of the hyperspectral imagery and to remove spatial distortions caused by the aircraft's trajectory during the survey based on a flat-earth assumption. This image-processing approach utilizes the aerial frame imagery as a reference. Each hyperspectral scan line is co-registered into the frame imagery coordinate system. The performance of the procedure was evaluated using hyperspectral imagery collected over northern New Hampshire and southern Maine. The evaluation results showed that the procedure is robust enough to pseudo ortho-rectify hyperspectral imagery over coastal areas and to remove significant spatial distortions.     

Spring phytoplankton bloom in the fronts of the East China Sea

Frontal areas between warm and saline waters of the Kuroshio currents and colder and diluted waters of the East China Sea (ECS) influenced by the Changjiang River were identified from the satellite thermal imagery and hydrological data obtained from the Coastal Ocean Process Experiment (COPEX) cruise during the period between March 1^st and 10^th, 1997. High chlorophyll concentrations appeared in the fronts of the East China Seas with the highest chlorophyll-a concentration in the southwestern area of Jeju Island (~2.9 mg/m³) and the eastern area of the Changjiang River Mouth (~2.8 mg/m³). Vertical structures of temperature, salinity and density were similar, showing the fronts between ECS and Kuroshio waters. The water column was well mixed in the shelf waters and was stratified around the fronts. It is inferred that the optimal condition for light utilization and nutrients induced both from the coastal and deep waters enhances the high phytoplankton productivity in the fronts of the ECS. In addition, the high chlorophyll-a in the fronts seems to have been associated with the water column stability as well.     

TOBI image processing-the state of the art

TOBI (Towed Ocean Bottom Instrument) is a deep-tow sidescan sonar vehicle from which sidescan sonar data are now routinely collected and archived. This paper describes the algorithms developed for detailed processing of TOBI data. Sonar imagery has a characteristic set of processing challenges and these are addressed. TOBI provides a very large sonar dataset, and to limit the difficulties of handling and processing these data, the raw data are subjected to a data reduction technique prior to further processing. Slant-range correction is improved by editing vehicle altitude data using a median filter. Noise on TOBI imagery can appear in two main forms; speckle noise and line dropouts. Speckle noise is removed by a small median difference kernel and line dropouts are removed using a ratio of two box-car filters, each with appropriate thresholding techniques. Precise geocoding of the imagery requires an accurate estimate of vehicle location, and a method of calculation is presented. Two optional processing algorithms are also; presented; deblurring of imagery to improve along-track resolution at far range, and the suppression of a surface reflection return which may occur when TOBI is operated in relatively shallow water. Several of the techniques presented can be transcribed and modified to suit other datasets     

Airborne imagery of ocean mixed-layer convective patterns

Airborne infrared and synthetic aperture radar imagery collected over the Gulf Stream are used to examine the surface patterns of small-scale thermal convection and wind-driven Langmuir circulation. These patterns have a thermal contrast of ～0.25 °C, which is roughly an order of magnitude larger than predicted by large-eddy simulations but consistent with the effect on surface temperature of surfactant accumulations induced by mixed-layer eddies.     

Biological data extraction from imagery – How far can we go? A case study from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

In the past few decades, hydrothermal vent research has progressed immensely, resulting in higher-quality samples and long-term studies. With time, scientists are becoming more aware of the impacts of sampling on the faunal communities and are looking for less invasive ways to investigate the vent ecosystems. In this perspective, imagery analysis plays a very important role. With this study, we test which factors can be quantitatively and accurately assessed based on imagery, through comparison with faunal sampling. Twelve instrumented chains were deployed on the Atlantic Eiffel Tower hydrothermal edifice and the corresponding study sites were subsequently sampled. Discrete, quantitative samples were compared to the imagery recorded during the experiment. An observer-effect was tested, by comparing imagery data gathered by different scientists. Most factors based on image analyses concerning Bathymodiolus azoricus mussels were shown to be valid representations of the corresponding samples. Additional ecological assets, based exclusively on imagery, were included.     

Dynamics and role of the Durban cyclonic eddy in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight ecosystem

The semi-permanent Durban Eddy is a mesoscale, lee-trapped, cold-core cyclonic circulation that occurs off the east coast of South Africa between Durban in the north and Sezela, some 70 km to the south. When present, strong north-eastward countercurrents reaching 100 cm s^–1 are found inshore. It is hypothesised that the cyclone is driven by the strong south-westward flowing Agulhas Current offshore of the regressing shelf edge near Durban. Analysis of ADCP data and satellite imagery shows the eddy to be present off Durban approximately 55% of the time, with an average lifespan of 8.6 days, and inter-eddy periods of 4 to 8 days. After spin-up the eddy breaks loose from its lee position and propagates downstream on the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current. The eddy is highly variable in occurrence, strength and downstream propagation speeds. There is no detectable seasonal cycle in eddy occurrence, with the Natal Pulse causing more variability than any seasonal signal. A thermistor array deployed in the eddy centre, together with ship CTD data, indicates upward doming of the thermal structure in the eddy core associated with cooler water and nutrients being moved higher in the water column, stimulating primary production. Together with the use of satellite imagery, our findings indicate a second mechanism of upwelling, viz. divergent upwelling in the northern limb of the eddy. Satellite-tracked surface drifters released in the eddy demonstrated the potential for nutrient-rich eddy water to be transported northwards along the inshore regions of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Bight, thus contributing to the functioning of the bight ecosystem, as well as southwards along the KZN and Transkei coasts – both by the eddy migrating downstream and by eddy water being recirculated into the inshore boundary of the Agulhas Current itself.     

Airborne imagery of a disintegrating Sargassum drift line

Airborne hyperspectral and thermal infrared imagery collected over the Florida Current provide a view of the disintegration of a Sargassum drift line in 5 m s⁻¹ winds. The drift line consists mostly of rafts 20-80 m² in size, though aggregations larger than 1000 m² also occur. Rafts tend to be elongated, curved in the upwind direction, and 0.1-0.5 °C warmer than the surrounding ocean surface. Long weed ‘trails’ extending upwind from the rafts are evidence of plants dropping out and being left behind more rapidly drifting rafts. The raft line may be a remnant of an earlier Sargassum frontal band, which is detectible as an upwind thermal front and areas of submerged weed. Issues are identified that require future field measurements.     

High-resolution mapping of large gas emitting mud volcanoes on the Egyptian continental margin (Nile Deep Sea Fan) by AUV surveys

Two highly active mud volcanoes located in 990–1,265 m water depths were mapped on the northern Egyptian continental slope during the BIONIL expedition of R/V Meteor in October 2006. High-resolution swath bathymetry and backscatter imagery were acquired with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)-mounted multibeam echosounder, operating at a frequency of 200 kHz. Data allowed for the construction of ~1 m pixel bathymetry and backscatter maps. The newly produced maps provide details of the seabed morphology and texture, and insights into the formation of the two mud volcanoes. They also contain key indicators on the distribution of seepage and its tectonic control. The acquisition of high-resolution seafloor bathymetry and acoustic imagery maps with an AUV-mounted multibeam echosounder fills the gap in spatial scale between conventional multibeam data collected from a surface vessel and in situ video observations made from a manned submersible or a remotely operating vehicle.     

Spatial information recognizing of ocean eddies based on virtual force field and its application

A new approach to detecting ocean eddies automatically from remote sensing imageries based on the ocean eddy's eigen-pattern in remote sensing imagery and "force field-based shape extracting method" is proposed. First, the analysis on extracting eddies' edges from remote sensing imagery using conventional edge detection arithmetic operators is performed and returns digitized vector edge data as a result. Second, attraction forces and fusion forces between edge curves were analyzed and calculated based on the vector eddy edges. Thirdly, the virtual significant spatial patterns of eddy were detected automatically using iterative repetition followed by optimized rule. Finally, the spatial form auto-detection of different types of ocean eddies was done using satellite images. The study verified that this is an effective way to identify and detect the ocean eddy with a complex form.     

7th National Oceanographic Conference and International Symposium of Zoological Society of Southern Africa

Thermal infra-red satellite imagery and ship-borne studies of ¹⁵N stable isotopes are used to provide a first estimate of the quantity of carbon exported from the Benguela upwelling system during summer 1983/84. From satellite imagery, a region where cold water of upwelling origin was present on a quasi-permanent basis and a more offshore region where the presence of such water was intermittent were designated. New production inside the 200 m isobath was excluded from the calculations because an unknown proportion of it may be recycled within the continental shelf system and would not therefore constitute export production and hence potential sequestration. Total production can be apportioned between new and regenerated production depending on the relative utilization of NO₃–N or NH₄–N and urea respectively. New production generally results from the input of NO₃–N to the euphotic zone via upwelling and/or turbulent diffusion and is the only portion of the total production which, in the long term, constitutes a carbon sink. This principle is modified to address the problem of possible new-production recycling on the continental shelf on short time-scales. Nitrate-uptake experiments conducted in the euphotic zone of aged upwelled and filament water throughout the Benguela yielded values of new production, and the mean of these data was applied to the appropriate areas identified by satellite imagery. New production off the continental shelf during summer 1983/84 attributable to upwelling-derived water was 2,14 × 10¹³ ± l,77 × 10¹³ g. An attempt is made to place this value in the context of new-production pathways in the Benguela.