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Maul, G. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Maul, G. A..

49 records · Page 3

Remote sensing of ocean currents

The author has identified the following significant results. Monthly field experiments in support of the NOAA investigation of ocean color boundary determination using ERTS-1 data have been conducted since June 1972. The boundary between coastal waters and the Loop Current has been detected by ERTS-1 as a result of sea state changes as well as color differences. Ocean information is contained in all 24 channels of the Bendix MSS flown on the C-130 in June 1972; this includes UV, visible, reflected IR, and emitted IR. Computer enhancement of MSS data is revealing many features not shown in the NDPF product.

Maul, G. A.

Atmospheric effects on ocean surface temperature sensing from the NOAA satellite scanning radiometer.

Investigation of the effects of atmosphere state, nadir angle, cloud amount, cloud height, and random noise on ocean surface temperature sensing from the NOAA series satellites. The results obtained include the finding that a 10% cloud cover can introduce errors that range from 0.5 K to 4 K depending on cumuloform cloud height, which makes necessary a complete cloud elimination in the analysis. A correction scheme for cloud-free conditions is developed that is essentially free of bias.

Maul, G. A.

Remote sensing of ocean currents using ERTS imagery

Major ocean currents such as the Loop Current in the eastern Gulf of Mexico have surface manifestations which can be exploited for remote sensing. Surface chlorophyll-a concentrations, which contribute to the shift in color from blue to green in the open sea, were found to have high spatial variability; significantly lower concentrations were observed in the current. The cyclonic edge of the current is an accumulation zone which causes a peak in chlorophyll concentration. The dynamics also cause surface concentrations of algae, which have a high reflectance in the near infrared. Combining these observations gives rise to an edge effect which can show up as a bright lineation on multispectral imagery delimiting the current's boundary under certain environmental conditions. When high seas introduce bubbles, white caps, and foam, the reflectance is dominated by scattering rather than absorption. This has been detected in ERTS imagery and used for current location.

Maul, G. A.

Remote sensing of ocean currents

The author has identified the following significant results. Monthly field experiments in support of the NOAA investigation of ocean color boundary determination using ERTS data have been conducted since June 1972. The color boundary between the Loop Current and coastal water has been detected by airborne cameras with ERTS type bandpass filters, at altitudes of 7300 meters. Ship and aircraft data hint that the boundary may be enhanced due to increased phytoplankton populations caused by convergence of the surface waters. The term edge effect has been coined to describe this phenomenon.

Maul, G. A.

Oceanographic observation of New York Bight from ERTS-1

The author has identified the following significant events. The Earth Resources Technology Satellite made a transit over New York Bight on 16 August, 1972. Imagery from this transit shows several oceanographic features that demonstrate the usefulness of remote sensing for large area, synoptic observation of changes in water quality in the coastal zone. Both the extent and turbulent character of the Hudson River plume are discernible in the image. Residue from a dump of waste acid is visible over a five mile area in the apex of the Bight. Little dispersion of this residue has occurred which suggests that this feature will be a persistent signature in images from future satellite transits.

Maul, G. A.

An observation of the Gulf Stream surface front structure by ship, aircraft, and satellite.

Evaluation of observations of surface temperature and salinity along the western edge of the Gulf Stream made from a ship and of concurrent temperature observations obtained by instrumented aircraft at six altitudes. The major feature along a five-kilometer line normal to the Stream's edge is a temperature gradient of about 0.75 C/kilometer within which are embedded two abrupt temperature increases of about 1.5 C. Temperature variations were compensated by salinity variations, yielding nearly constant density through the frontal zone; a sharp lateral current shear was associated with the thermohaline mixing region between the steps. The attenuation of surface temperature measured by the airborne radiometer was compared with a theoretical model. The analysis supports the view that a two-part correction technique is required: one part for bulk-skin temperature differences, and another for atmospheric attenuation of sea surface emission due to the mass and temperature of interfering gases.

Maul, G. A.