Sub-Mesoscale Vortex Streets in the Region of the Shantar Islands (Sea of Okhotsk), According to Satellite Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

Images in the visible range of the MODIS Terra/Aqua and ETM+ Landsat 7/OLI Landsat 8 satellites are used to study vortex streets (VSes) in the region of the Shantar Islands (Sea of Okhotsk​​). Two stable VSes are observed in the Northeast Strait separating Large and Small Shantar Islands. The northern VS forms near Diomede Stones Island, while the southern VS arises near a nameless group of rocks. The northern VS is 9–11 km long and consists of 4–5 pairs of cyclone-anticyclone vortices. The average diameter of a northern vortex is 0.73 ± 0.09 km. Vortices in the southern street are traced at distances of 6–7 km, with 3–5 vortex pairs recorded. The average diameter of a southern vortex is 0.47 ± 0.07 km. Vortices in the chain propagate mainly in the easterly direction at low tide and in the westerly direction at high tide. The spatial and temporal scales of the phenomenon show that both the vortices and VSes in the Northeast Strait are of a sub-mesoscale nature. The remote sensing data allow geometric parameters characterizing the stability of the oceanic VSes to be determined. The results from measurements and calculations can be used as tests demonstrating the possibility of applying the existing theory of similarity to VSes under real oceanic conditions. The parameters of oceanic VSes are compared to the results obtained in laboratory experiments and the characteristics of atmospheric VSes.