Benefits of NOAA-11 Channel 3 in Detection of Mesoscale Eddies in the Gulf ofMexico during Summer

摘要

Monitoring the Loop Current and mesoscale (50-350 km) warm and cold core eddypositions in the Gulf of Mexico year round has taken on enhanced interest as our understanding of the Gulf's physical oceanography and its impact on a diverse set of industrial and scientific disciplines matures. Early sporadic hydrographic cruises were supplemented in the late 1970's and early 1980's with satellite infrared (IR) imagery from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) and various versions of the present National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). The synoptic IR views helped immeasurably by permitting mapping of the major mesoscale features via their sea surface temperature (SST) signatures. The early work of Ichiye (1 962), Cochrane (1 972) and others was then enhanced considerably when imagery began to fill in the time-space void inherent in Gulf ship surveys. Information pertaining to the cycle of Loop Current penetration, eddy shedding and drift of resultant warm core eddies westward to the Texas shelf rapidly revised earlier speculation and brought us to a now level of viewing the dynamics of the Loop Current System. Several drawbacks remained while utilizing IR imagery to detect Gulf mesoscale features. Cloud contamination often eliminated this valuable resource for time spans lasting weeks when poor meteorological conditions prevailed. Summertime conditions, including solar heating, reduced the SST gradients associated with all features, requiring the capability to measure relative and absolute SSTs to the accuracy of 0.25 C and better in order to view the faint surface signatures. Remote sensing, satellite sea surface temperature, thermody