Manifestation of the mesoscale phenomena in surface roughness, altimetry, optical and thermal properties of the upper layer

Medium and high resolution optical data (MODIS, MERIS, TM, ETM+), altimetry and radar data together with meteorological re-analysis are used for investigation of eddies, upwellings and internal wave manifestation in the Black Sea and Strait of Gibraltar. The next topics are discussed: 1. Sea surface roughness by optical scanners data – upwelling, eddies, pollutions and internal waves manifestation in sun glitter pattern. 2. Coastal upwelling - thermal and optical properties and impact on sea level and surface roughness. 3. Eddies manifestation in variation of the upper layer properties - different remote sensing sensors. 4. Statistic for 1994-2010 years and properties of eddies in the Black Sea, impact of the wind forcing – altimetry and meteorological data analysis

Wind driven upwelling along the African coast of the Strait of Gibraltar

Regular remote sensing data from various sensors are used here for the study of the wind driven upwelling phenomenon along the African coast of the Strait of Gibraltar. It is shown for an extended summer period (May 15 till September 15, 2003) that sea surface temperature (SST) data in the strait are correlated with NCEP winds, each westward wind increase being followed by a clear surface temperature decrease. Local surface temperature of about 22degreesC at that time drops down to 15degreesC, value corresponding to the 80 - 120 m depth conditions. The analysis of subsequent images indicates that the cold upwelling plume typically moves first to the Atlantic during wind forcing, and then to the Mediterranean after the wind event. The presence of the northern coast of the strait is taken as responsible for a rise of a cross-strait sea level gradient and the enhancement of the associated westward geostrophic current that explains the first stage of the plume deployment. Sea level difference measured between Tarifa (European coast) and Ceuta (African coast), well described by a linear equation in term of the westward wind component, supports this idea as well as the subsequent remotely sensed SST distributions