Infrared remote sensing in the Gulf of Lions
Résumé
Spatial and temporal variabilities of the upwelling in the Gulf of Lions and some characteristics of the Ligurian current are studied by thermal infrared satellite imagery. Upwelling develops along straight coastal segments of some ten to twenty kilometers in length. On-offshore jets of cool water driven from major upwelling centers and unexpected circulations are clearly detected from space. Off the coasts of Provence, the Ligurian current is halted by strong westerly winds. When the wind drops, the surface layer current flows on to the continental shelf of the Gulf of Lions at speeds up to 30 cm/sec. These results suggest that, during summer at least, the upwelling and the surface-layer circulation mainly depend upon small-and meso-scale features of the coastline.
Domaines
Océan, Atmosphère
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