Measuring Ocean Currents: Tools, Technologies, and
Data covers all major aspects of ocean current
measurements in view of the implications of ocean
currents on changing climate, increasing pollution
levels, and offshore engineering activities. Although
more than 70% of the Earth is covered by ocean, there is
limited information on the countless fine- to
large-scale water motions taking place within them. This
book fills that information gap as the first work that
summarizes the state-of-the-art methods and instruments
used for surface, subsurface, and abyssal ocean current
measurements. Readers of this book will find a wealth of
information on Lagrangian measurements, horizontal
mapping, imaging, Eulerian measurements, and vertical
profiling techniques. In addition, the book describes
modern technologies for remote measurement of ocean
currents and their signatures, including HF Doppler
radar systems, satellite-borne sensors, ocean acoustic
tomography, and more. Crucial aspects of ocean currents
are described in detail as well, including dispersion of
effluents discharged into the sea and transport of
beneficial materials-as well as environmentally
hazardous materials-from one region to another. The book
highlights several important practical applications,
showing how measurements relate to climate change and
pollution levels, how they affect coastal and offshore
engineering activities, and how they can aid in tsunami
detection. It includes: coverage of measurement, mapping
and profiling techniques; descriptions of technologies
for remote measurement of ocean currents and their
signatures; and, reviews crucial aspects of ocean
currents, including special emphasis on the
planet-spanning thermohaline circulation, known as the
ocean's "conveyor belt," and its crucial role in climate
change.
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