Rossby waves detected in global ocean colour data
Rossby waves detected in global ocean colour data
We demonstrate for the first time the detectability of mid-latitude Rossby waves in global ocean colour data from the Japanese Ocean Colour and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) and U.S. Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) radiometers. By producing longitude-time plots of the merged OCTS and SeaWiFS datasets we observe at some latitudes westward propagating signals. Their signature is much weaker than the annual phytoplankton cycle, but can be highlighted by filtering the plots. The main propagating speed is estimated with the Radon Transform and increases equatorward, as expected for Rossby waves. A comparison with both speeds derived from altimeter data and the zonal mean of the speed predicted by a recent theory of Rossby wave propagation shows a broad agreement. We conclude that Rossby waves are sometimes observable in the ocean colour field and thus have some effects on biology, and we suggest two simple hypotheses for the underlying interaction mechanism
planetary waves, climate variability, interannual variability, remote sensing, electromagnetic processes, upper ocean processes, trace elements, ocean colour
323-326
Cipollini, Paolo
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Cromwell, David
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Challenor, Peter G.
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Raffaglio, Stefano
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15 January 2001
Cipollini, Paolo
276e356a-f29e-4192-98b3-9340b491dab8
Cromwell, David
0e781623-7ab3-4ee3-b56f-d493258a697a
Challenor, Peter G.
a7e71e56-8391-442c-b140-6e4b90c33547
Raffaglio, Stefano
744d2246-7f0d-461d-9807-7e96955038c4
Cipollini, Paolo, Cromwell, David, Challenor, Peter G. and Raffaglio, Stefano
(2001)
Rossby waves detected in global ocean colour data.
Geophysical Research Letters, 28 (2), .
(doi:10.1029/1999GL011231).
Abstract
We demonstrate for the first time the detectability of mid-latitude Rossby waves in global ocean colour data from the Japanese Ocean Colour and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) and U.S. Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) radiometers. By producing longitude-time plots of the merged OCTS and SeaWiFS datasets we observe at some latitudes westward propagating signals. Their signature is much weaker than the annual phytoplankton cycle, but can be highlighted by filtering the plots. The main propagating speed is estimated with the Radon Transform and increases equatorward, as expected for Rossby waves. A comparison with both speeds derived from altimeter data and the zonal mean of the speed predicted by a recent theory of Rossby wave propagation shows a broad agreement. We conclude that Rossby waves are sometimes observable in the ocean colour field and thus have some effects on biology, and we suggest two simple hypotheses for the underlying interaction mechanism
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Published date: 15 January 2001
Keywords:
planetary waves, climate variability, interannual variability, remote sensing, electromagnetic processes, upper ocean processes, trace elements, ocean colour
Organisations:
National Oceanography Centre,Southampton
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 265
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/265
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: 6a13680c-d7bf-456a-8b8e-1cd04f9809ab
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Date deposited: 14 Jan 2004
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 04:38
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Author:
Paolo Cipollini
Author:
David Cromwell
Author:
Peter G. Challenor
Author:
Stefano Raffaglio
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