Microwave Radiation of the Ocean-atmosphere ― Boundary Heat and Dynamic Interaction

The book describes different approaches to the analysis of heat and dynamic processes in the ocean-atmospheric interface with satellite passive radiometric observations at microwaves. It examines the feasibility of determining synoptic, seasonal and year-to-year variations of sensible, latent and momentum fluxes to a useful accuracy using the DMSP SSM/I and EOS Aqua AMSR-E data directly from the measured brightness temperatures.
An important object in the studies is the North Atlantic with emphasize on the areas with high midlatitude cyclon activity: here the main results have been obtained by combining data from the vessel experiments NEWFOUEX-88, ATLANTEX-90 and the data of microwave radiometers from the DMSP and EOS Aqua satellites.
The role of vertical turbulent and horizontal advective heat transfer in forming interrelations between the brightness temperature of the system ocean-atmosphere and surface heat fluxes in the range of synoptic time scales is analyzed.
Special sections of the book describe some results of analysis of reaction of the system ocean-atmosphere on passing of the tropical cyclone Katrina (August 2005) in the Florida Strait as well as a behavior of the system in the period of a time preceding to origination the cyclone Humberto (September 2007) in the Mexico Gulf. The long-term goal of this research is the search for effects and regularities, which can explain the reasons for the tropical cyclones appearance. Some characteristics of the tropical cyclones (brightness temperature and heat contrasts, etc.) are compared with those for midlatitude cyclones.
At the same time as covering a key topic area with implications for global warming research, this text is also usefull to students who want to gain insight into application of satellite microwave radiometric methods for studying the air-sea interaction.
Key themes: microwave radiometry, air-sea interaction, midlatitude and tropical cyclones, atmosphere boundary layer, heat and momentum surface fluxes.

Alexander G. Grankov received his PhD at the Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences (IRE RAS), Fryazino Department (2002), where he is currently the head of the laboratory. He has a wide experience in remote sensing of the ocean and land covers from aircrafts and satellites, gained in numerous national and international aerospace experiments. Study of the intercommunication between natural microwave radiation and heat processes in the air-water interface is the specific and important topic of his activity. He is a member of the Popov Society for Radio Engineering and the author of over 200 scientific publications.

Alexander A. Milshin is a principal investigator of Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Fryazino Department, and the JSC "Research & Production Corporation "Istok". He has a great experience in remote sensing of the ocean and land covers, and in processing microwave radiometric measurement data from satellites and aircrafts, acquired in numerous national and international aerospace experiments. He is a member of Popov Society for Radio Engineering and the author of 200 scientific publications.