Vøring Plateau (I)

The figure shows an ERS-1 image acquired on 24 May 1994 of a seepage from the sea floor of the Vøring plateau in the Norwegian Sea, the SAR data have been analyzed at Tromsø Satellite Station (TSS).
The detected oil slick appears with a large contrast compared with the surrounding ocean water. This indicates that the dampening of the capillary waves is relatively strong. The wind speed has been estimated about 5.1 m/s.
The dampening effect is strongest at the left part of the slick, and decreases towards the right part. Such a signature may represent a drifting oil slick, as it will always be thicker at the front and thinner at the back.

(Tromsø Satellite Station, Norway)

Vøring Plateau (II)

The figure shows an ERS-1 image acquired on 31 July 1994 on the same site as in the previous example. The seepage is located near an atmospheric wave pattern. The diffuse slick signature has a sharp edge at one side, and a diffuse edge at the other.
The slick signature differs strongly from the surroundings and it is not certainly a common natural feature.

(Tromsø Satellite Station, Norway)

Vøring Plateau (III)

The figure shows an ERS-1 image acquired on 23 August 1994 on the same site as the previous example. The droplet signature on the right part of the figure has been identified as an oil slick.
Wind conditions are calm and it is hence concluded that the diffuse signatures originate from thin surface layers.

(Tromsø Satellite Station, Norway)

Keywords: ESA European Space Agency - Agence spatiale europeenne, observation de la terre, earth observation, satellite remote sensing, teledetection, geophysique, altimetrie, radar, chimique atmospherique, geophysics, altimetry, radar, atmospheric chemistry