New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Effect of volcanic aerosols on satellite-derived sea surface temperatures
around New Zealand
PHILIP J. H. SUTTON
STEPHEN M. CHISWELL
New Zealand Oceanographic Institute
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric
Research Ltd
P. O. Box 14-901
Kilbirnie, Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from five coastal
sites around New Zealand were compared with SST products from satellite AVHRR
(Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) measurements between mid 1989 and
late 1994. The objectives of this analysis were to test the accuracy and
stability of the AVHRR product, and to distinguish how the coastal SST
measurements represent the larger coastal areas which the satellite product
measures. The AVHRR product is comparable with the coastal data up until mid
1991, after which the AVHRR product is colder by approximately 1deg.C. The
difference peaked in late 1992 and probably died away by late 1993. This may be
a result of the eruptions of Mt Pinatubo (June 1991) and/or Cerro Hudson
(August 1991). The coastal measurements from relatively exposed sites are
representative of the larger coastal regions measured by the satellites. In the
case of more enclosed waters, particularly within harbours, the long-term means
of the coastal and AVHRR measurements agree before mid 1991, but the coastal
measurements have larger seasonal cycles.
Keywords sea surface temperature (SST); AVHRR; comparison;
aerosols
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1996: Vol. 30:
105-113
0028-8330/96/3001-0105 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1996
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (639K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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