Determination of Near-Surface Velocity Fields in the CTZ using Combined Altimetric and Inverse Modelling Techniques.

摘要

An inverse model involving AVHRR imagery and the heat equation with dynamical constraints on the divergence, kinetic energy and vorticity of the solutions was used by Kelly (1989) to produce velocity fields that were in good agreement with Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data. Dynamic heights derived from GEOSAT radar altimeter data have also been used to determine near-surface geostrophic currents. Synthetic GEOSAT-derived velocity data was generated from ADCP data collected as part of the Coastal Transition Zone (CTZ) Field Program. The inverse model was run with AVHRR imagery that was coincident to the CTZ Field Program ADCP data and the synthetic velocity data was added as an additional constraint on the model's solution. The resulting velocity solutions were much improved over those given by the inverse model alone. Refinement of this method involving a combination of different data sources should improve efforts to determine near-surface velocities of the ocean entirely by remote means.