Dependence of Ocean Heating on the Distribution of Spectral Irradiance in the North Atlantic

• Main Authors: Arnone, Robert A., Terrie, Gregory E., Martin, Paul J.
• Other Authors: NAVAL RESEARCH LAB STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1992
• Subjects: Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; *REMOTE DETECTORS; *IRRADIATION; *AIR WATER INTERACTIONS; *SOLAR HEATING; *NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; DATA BASES; OPTICS; AEROSOLS; RATES; DEPTH; ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES; MEAN; PLANKTON BLOOMS; CHLOROPHYLLS; TURBIDITY; LATITUDE; THERMOCLINES; SUBSURFACE; ALTITUDE; OCEANS; ATTENUATION; VISIBLE SPECTRA; VARIATIONS; SURFACES; COEFFICIENTS; RADIANCE; HEATING; PE63741D; WUDN259069; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA268370; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA268370

Subsurface heating rates from visible solar irradiance were computed for the North Atlantic for May 1979 during the period of the spring bloom. The visible spectrum between 400 and 700 nm accounts for a substantial fraction, about 43%, of the total solar irradiance at the sea surface, and comprises most of the solar irradiance that penetrates more than a meter into the sea. The mean monthly spectral diffuse attenuation coefficients and surface solar irradiance were used to compute heating rates at 390, 440, 490, 540, 590, 640, and 690 nm over depth increments of 0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, and 20-35 m. At low altitudes, in the North Atlantic, significant solar heating occurs at depth as a consequence of high solar irradiance and clear waters. In the northern latitudes the heating is confined near the surface at all wavelengths as a result of high turbidity. Significant spatial variation in the spectral heating rates is observed as a result of chlorophyll and aerosol patchiness. Optics, Data base, Satellite, Remote sensing.