With an increased interest in global climate change, the importance of the oceans which cover about 70 percent of the Earth surface, has been emphasized. Observations of the oceans from ships or buoys has been difficult and costly. Satellites can monitor the ocean frequently and on a global scale in an efficient way. Satellite oceanography is a rapidly-growing field in modern oceanography, with an expanding role in all areas of ocean and climate research.
Our laboratory’s goals are to obtain measurements of various oceanic parameters from space, such as the sea surface temperature (SST), the chlorophyll-a concentration, the suspended particulate matter, the red tide, the sea level anomaly, the wave height, the surface currents, the sea surface wind fields, the oil spill, and the HNS, and to investigate the general ocean circulation, large- and meso-scale variabilities, biological productivity, and air-sea interactions, by using a variety of satellite-based measurements.
State-of-the-art sensors, such as the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) have been used for their high-resolution imaging capability. As we provide the new analysis techniques for the better interpretation of oceanic phenomena, our efforts will contribute to deeper understanding of oceanic dynamics and changes on a global/regional/local scale.
Bldg, 13-402, Dept, of Earth Science Education, Seoul National University, Gwanakgu Gwanakro 1, Seoul 151-748, Korea