HR: 1340h
AN: OS13B-0533    [Abstracts]
TI: Prediction of Gas Exchange Rate Using Microwave Backscatter From the Ocean Surface
AU: * Glover, D M
EM: dglover@whoi.edu
AF: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dept. of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Mail Stop 25, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Frew, N M
EM: nfrew@whoi.edu
AF: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dept. of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Mail Stop 25, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Caruso, M J
EM: mcaruso@whoi.edu
AF: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dept. of Physical Oceanography Mail Stop 21, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: McCue, S J
EM: smccue@whoi.edu
AF: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dept. of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Mail Stop 25, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AB: Radar backscatter from the surface of the ocean is proving to be useful in establishing a relationship between sea surface roughness and gas transfer velocity. This is possible because radar wavelengths fall in the same centimetric range as surface waves that promote near surface turbulence that drives gas exchange. We have established two algorithms that link a field-based relationship between gas transfer velocity and mean square slope of the capillary wave field to a relationship between mean square slope and radar backscatter. The first algorithm exploits specular scattering of altimeter microwave pulses by the sea surface. The second algorithm involves Bragg scattering of microwave signals from a scatterometer. We will briefly review these algorithms, their uses and drawbacks, and insights they provide about the global distribution of gas transfer velocity.
DE: 4806 Carbon cycling
DE: 4820 Gases
DE: 4275 Remote sensing and electromagnetic processes (0689)
DE: 4504 Air/sea interactions (0312)
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting