Remote-sensing observations of coastal sub-mesoscale eddies in the south-eastern Baltic

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the sub-mesoscale eddies observed in the coastalzone of the south-eastern Baltic near the shores of the Sambian Peninsula and theCuronian Spit based on CODAR (high-frequency coast-based radar) measurementsand analysis of MODIS and ASAR satellite images for the period 30 March2000-31 December 2011. It was found that when winds are predominantly SW, S or W,a wake eddy of varying size (up to 25 km in diameter) forms off Cape Taran andcan cover the area between the shoreline and the 65 m isobath. Its longestlifetime, observed using MODIS images, was 6 days. Another location wherecoastal sub-mesoscale eddies (up to 10-15 km in diameter) of varying formregularly appear is the coastal slope near the southern and central part ofthe Curonian Spit.

Keywords

• Coastal currents
• Submesoscale eddies
• Baltic Sea
• Rremote sensing
• MODIS
• SAR
• CODAR