Aquarius and SMOS detect effects of an extreme Mississippi River flooding event in the Gulf of Mexico
Aquarius and SMOS detect effects of an extreme Mississippi River flooding event in the Gulf of Mexico
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DOI：
10.1002/grl.50995
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发表时间：
2013-10
影响因子：
5.2
通讯作者：
M. Gierach;J. Vazquez-Cuervo;Tong Lee;V. Tsontos
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
M. Gierach;J. Vazquez-Cuervo;Tong Lee;V. Tsontos
来自Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas（SAC）-D卫星和土壤水分和海洋盐度（SMOS）使命的海面盐度（SSS）测量结果被用于记录与墨西哥湾（GoM）创纪录的2011年密西西比河洪水事件相关的淡水化。对盐度响应的评估得到了其他卫星观测的帮助，包括叶绿素a和海洋表面流，以及被动示踪剂模拟。低SSS值与河流羽流的蔓延观察1-3个月后，河流流量峰值，然后消退，并成为无法识别的卫星观测5个月后，最大的排放量。墨西哥湾的季节性风型和大气环流极大地影响了观测到的盐度响应，沿着墨西哥湾沿岸向东输送淡水，并将低盐度沃茨带入开放的墨西哥湾。从Aquarius观测到的盐度响应与SMOS SSS、叶绿素a浓度和被动示踪剂模拟在河流羽流扩散的路径和过境时间方面一致。这项研究是SSS卫星首次成功应用于研究边缘海盐度变化。
Sea surface salinity (SSS) measurements from the Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)‐D satellite and Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission were used to document the freshening associated with the record 2011 Mississippi River flooding event in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Assessment of the salinity response was aided by additional satellite observations, including chlorophyll‐a (chl‐a) and ocean surface currents, and a passive tracer simulation. Low SSS values associated with the spreading of the river plume were observed 1–3 months after peak river discharge which then receded and became unidentifiable from satellite observations 5 months after maximum discharge. The seasonal wind pattern and general circulation of the GoM dramatically impacted the observed salinity response, transporting freshwater eastward along the Gulf coast and entraining low salinity waters into the open GoM. The observed salinity response from Aquarius was consistent with SMOS SSS, chl‐a concentrations, and the passive tracer simulation in terms of the pathway and transit time of the river plume spreading. This study is the first successful application of satellite SSS to study salinity variation in marginal seas.