A satellite-derived climatology of global ocean winds

• Main Author: Risien, Craig Miller
• Other Authors: Good, James W., Chelton, Dudley B., Gregory, Stanley, Freilich, Michael, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University. Graduate School
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: Oregon State University
• Subjects: Artificial satellites in oceanography; Winds > Remote sensing; Greenland
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/00000281m

A satellite-derived Climatology of Global Ocean Winds (COGOW) on a 0.5° latitude by 0.5° latitude grid is presented based on 5-years (August 1999 July 2004) of measurements from the SeaWinds scatterometer that was launched on 19 June 1999 onboard the QuikSCAT satellite. SeaWinds is an active microwave radar that estimates wind speed and direction from measurements of electromagnetic backscatter from the wind roughened ocean surface. The accuracy of these wind estimates is equivalent to that of measurements by well-calibrated buoys. This five-year climatology provides the first high spatial resolution, observationally based, online atlas of global ocean winds. COGOW is a web-based interactive atlas from which users can retrieve climatological wind maps as well as wind statistics, both in tabular and graphic form, for any particular region of interest. The global coverage of these data provides valuable information about the wind statistics in the many regions of the world ocean that are sparsely sampled by ships and buoys. An example of one of the anticipated uses of this climatology is presented in a case study of NOAA OR&R's involvement in the recovery of Ehime Maru, a Japanese training and fishing vessel that sank in 2001 off the island of Oahu. In addition, four wind phenomena observable within COGOW are discussed: the South Asian Monsoon, evidence of air-sea interaction over the Aguihas Return Current, gap winds in Central America, and corner accelerations south of Greenland as well as off the southern and northern tips of Madagascar. The possible utility of COGOW is discussed with regard to operational communities such as the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue teams as well as the scientific research community. Finally, recommendations for extensions that could be included in future versions of COGOW are made.