Investigating Effects of Seafloor Topography on Sea Surface Currents in the Caspian Sea and Northern Indian Ocean

Abstract

Seafloor topography certainly has an impact on ocean circulation in different ways. Due to this assumption, the sea surface currents calculated by optical flow (Horn–Schunck) and geostrophic currents methods are analyzed to observe this impact. Pair of sea surface temperature imageries, calculated sea surface height and sea level anomaly are showed beside depth map in areas with meaningful bathymetric features such as underwater mountains and pools. The reason for the formation of some eddies in the Caspian Sea and Indian Ocean is concluded from the location of pools and knolls. In this study, in addition to introducing new time span for calculating geostrophic currents, Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real-Time (OSCAR) currents are applied to validate our estimated currents. Variety of products such as sea surface temperature imageries, OSCAR currents, depth map, calculated results like sea level anomaly and absolute dynamic topography and estimated currents via optical flow and geostrophic currents have been collected in this paper to make very detailed investigation on depth effect on mentioned water parameters. Results show that impacts of knolls and pools are meaningfully clear in optical flow and geostrophic currents in shaping and rationing water motions.