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Sea Surface Temperature

What is Sea Surface Temperature?

Sea Surface Temperature Image
Sea Surface Temperature (sst) is a measure of the energy due to the motion of molecules at the top layer of the ocean. Depending on the sensor, spaceborne measurements give us an unprecedented global measurement of sea surface temperatures every few days to a week.   Temperatures are measured from approximately 10 µm below the surface (infrared bands) to 1mm (microwave bands) depths using radiometers.


How is Sea Surface Temperature Measured?



The motion of electrically charged particles produces electromagnetic radiation of various wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum comprises the range of these wavelengths.  From longest to shortest the general wavelength categories are radio, microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-ray, and gamma ray.

The ocean and most other objects emit radiation in the infrared and the microwave wavelengths.  The amplitude of these wavelengths vary with the temperature of the ocean and therefore can be used to measure it.  Satellite sensors can measure these bands from space.  Infrared radiation of the ocean comes from the top 10 microns of the surface.  Microwave radiation results from the topmost 1-millimeter layer.  Infrared satellite sensors have better spatial resolution but are more susceptible to cloud contamination than microwave. This is due to the absorption of the ocean emitted infrared energy by clouds.

Today in addition to satellite and shipboard measurements there are thousands of floats in the oceans measuring temperature and salinity. These are used to validate satellite instruments in addition to sampling throughout the water column.

A major accomplishment in the distribution of satellite derived SSTs occurred with the Group for High Resolution Sea Surface Temperature (GHRSST) project. The project provides all SST data sets in a common format that allows for easy accessibility across different computer platforms and operating systems. To provide data sets that are suitable for climate modeling a necessary requirement is that climate data records come with a description of the errors associated with each SST value. The GHRSST project, to accommodate using these data sets in climate and ocean modeling, provides a full characterization of the errors associated with each pixel.  It is important to remember that satellites can only measure temperature at or close to the surface. Other instruments, or models, must be used to determine temperature at depth.

How is Sea Surface Temperature measured below 5 meters?

Global ocean temperature data below the surface are primarily measured using moorings and drifters.  Moorings are good for measuring time series through the depths of the water column and one particular longitudinal/latitudinal location.  Most deeper ocean temperature data are measured from drifters.  There are over 3000 drifters in the ocean today.  Ocean drifters are usually placed at a particular place in the ocean and then descend to a predefined depth where they record a time series of water temperature while moving with the currents at that depth.  One disadvantage of drifters is that most shut off their sensors between 5m deep and the surface to avoid fouling.

If a particular area or line of interest is to be measured underwater, autonomous gliders and/or forward propelled vehicles may be used.  These carry temperature-recording devices along with depth and salinity sensors, clocks and GPS.  These vehicles enable scientists to plan specific routes in which to make measurements.