Use of ERS-1 and Landsat imagery for monitoring coastal water properties and current circulation

Imagery and digital tapes (CCT) from ERS-1 and Landsat, regarding the Black Sea coastal zone of Romania have been analyzed with special emphasis on turbidity, current circulation, waste disposal plumes, and convergent boundaries between different water masses. Landsat image radiances were correlated with `in-situ' measurements of suspended sediment concentration. Color density slicing helped delineate the suspended sediment patterns more clearly and differentiate turbidity levels. A good correlation was found using sediment concentrations as a function of depth, since the bands penetrate different depths, ranging from several meters to several centimeters, respectively. The wind speed dependence of the microwave brightness temperature of the sea is interpreted primarily for small scale wave structure at wind speeds below 10 m/s and from increasing coverage of sea foam at higher wind speeds.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.