Preliminary results of a study to develop a climatology of ocean features in the gulf of mexico using satellite remote sensing data

Abstract

The basic objective of this project is to develop a climatology of certain ocean features in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) using satellite remote sensing data sets that span long time periods (i.e., as long as 32 years) to create the statistics. Twelve (12) separate statistics will be created, some of which described characteristics of the Loop Current, while others are involved with warm core eddies that separate from the Loop Current and cold core eddies. Satellite data that are used in this study, include sea-surface temperature data from radiometers aboard TIROS-M, HCMM, SEASAT, and the numerous NOAA polar orbiting satellites; ocean color data from the CZCS, which was aboard the Nimbus polar orbiting satellite, and from the SeaWiFS system; and altimeter data from the TOPEX/Poseiden and the ERS systems. These data were supplemented with in-situ data from ships of opportunity, from field programs in the GOM, and from the projects managed by the various oil and gas companies. This work presents some of the early results from the study, which are the frequency of Loop Current water in the eastern GOM (EGOM), the frequency of isolated warm water in the EGOM, and the frequency of Loop Current water on the West Florida Shelf. It is expect that these statistics will be useful in planning field programs, to marine biologists and oceanographers studying processes in the GOM, as background information for environmental impact statements (EISs), and in evaluating and directing improvements for models that calculate the ocean dynamics in the GOM.