Optical Remote Sensing of Ocean Hydrodynamics

Book excerpt: Optical Remote Sensing is one of the main technologies used in sea surface monitoring. Optical Remote Sensing of Ocean Hydrodynamics investigates and demonstrates capabilities of optical remote sensing technology for enhanced observations and detection of ocean environments. It provides extensive knowledge of physical principles and capabilities of optical observations of the oceans at high spatial resolution, 1-4m, and on the observations of surface wave hydrodynamic processes. It also describes the implementation of spectral-statistical and fusion algorithms for analyses of multispectral optical databases and establishes physics-based criteria for detection of complex wave phenomena and hydrodynamic disturbances including assessment and management of optical databases. This book explains the physical principles of high-resolution optical imagery of the ocean surface, discusses for the first time the capabilities of observing hydrodynamic processes and events, and emphasizes the integration of optical measurements and enhanced data analysis. It also covers both the assessment and the interpretation of dynamic multispectral optical databases and includes applications for advanced studies and nonacoustic detection. This book is an invaluable resource for researches, industry professionals, engineers, and students working on cross-disciplinary problems in ocean hydrodynamics, optical remote sensing of the ocean and sea surface remote sensing. Readers in the fields of geosciences and remote sensing, applied physics, oceanography, satellite observation technology, and optical engineering will learn the theory and practice of optical interactions with the ocean.