The Impact of Satellite Infrared Sea Surface Temperatures on the FNOC (Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center) EOTS (Expanded Ocean Thermal Structure) Regional Gulf Stream Analysis
Abstract
In July 1987, two Expanded Ocean Thermal Structure (EOTS) analysis runs were made daily at 12Z for 5 consecutive days. These runs were made offline at the FNOC for the ENOTS Gulf Stream region. All available satellite multichannel sea surface temperature (MCSST) retrievals, ship reports, and expendable bathythermograph observations were assimilated into the first analysis, with MCSSTs withheld from the second to determine satellite data impact on the analysis. Aircraft-launched expendable bathythermograph (AXBT) data from coincident Regional Energetics Experiment flights were used as independent ground truth. The analysis results and input data sets were compared to the AXBT data. This study shows that MCSST data significantly add to the accuracy of front and eddy mapping by tightening up strong frontal gradients and reducing the impact of relatively noisy ship data. The reliability, the accuracy, and the quantity of MCSSTs far exceed that of ship reports. This difference is evident in the better identification of significant oceanographic features by the satellite-aided analysis. Accuracy of regional EOTS analysis was found to be severely degraded when the only available MCSST data are over 48 hours old. Keywords: Infrared radiation remote sensing, Thermal analysis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA198965
Entities
People
- Douglas A. May
- Jeffrey D. Hawkins
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory