Airborne Temperature Surveys of Lake Michigan, October 1966-October 1967
Abstract
Low-altitude surface water temperature mapping flights were carried out over Lake Michigan on 18 October 1966 and 25 October 1967, by the U. S. Naval Oceanographic Office Super Constellation, EL COYOTE, equipped with a Barnes Engineering Company Model 14-320 Airborne Radiation Thermometer. During the 1966 flight, a strong surface water thermal gradient (4.4 deg C/6000m) was observed to originate near-shore approximately one-third the way up the west shore of the lake, parallel the shoreline to approximately three-fifths of the distance up the lake, where it turned northeastward to the middle of the lake basin, where it again swung northward and became more diffuse. The surface thermal gradient was accompanied by a sharp visual color change, with the warm, green water to the east of the thermal gradient. Dynamic height currents computed from a BT transect through the gradient indicated a northward current (named the COYOTE CURRENT) of the order of 10-12 cm/sec in the gradient zone. The thermal structure persisted for a week. A similar temperature gradient - color separation - dynamic height current feature was observed paralleling the western shoreline during 1967. High Resolution Infrared Radiometer (HRIR) data from NIMBUS II meteorological satellite for 7 September and 6 October 1966, show a large, weak structure in the radiation temperature patterns that might be interpreted as precursors of the Coyote Current structure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0858782
Entities
People
- John C. Wilkerson
- Vincent E. Noble
Organizations
- Naval Oceanographic Office