Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa, 2009, Issue 6, Vol. 2, pp. 172-179
Cold-air outbreaks over the Bering Sea:
Satellite multisensor analysis
М.К. Пичугин
, Л.М. Митник
Тихоокеанский океанологический институт им. В.И. Ильичева ДВО РАН, 690041 Владивосток, ул. Балтийская, 43
The 48 Cold-Air Outbreaks (CAOs) were revealed in 2002-2008 by the usage of satellite and ground
measurements. They covered a major part of the Bering Sea. Their detailed analysis was carried out.
Duration of CAOs varied from several hours to several days. The most long-term outbreaks were
observed in February. Northern winds with surface wind speed of 10 - 25 m/s were dominated during
CAOs. Convective cloud rolls were observed downstream from the ice edge. The distance between the
neighboring rolls (wavelength) increased from 0.7-1 to 12-15 km as the distance from the ice edge
increased. Further rolls were transformed into the open and closed convective cells, size of which ranged
from 1-2 to 50-60 km. Typical values of total water vapor content were 1 - 7 kg/m2 and increased
downstream. The results of the multisensor analysis of evolution of the intense cold-air outbreak on 1-7
February 2003 are presented.
Keywords: air-sea interaction, cold-air outbreak, mesoscale convective rolls and cells, satellite meteorology, Aqua AMSR-E, QuikSCAT SeaWinds, Bering Sea
Full text