The Gulf Stream


 
Benjamin Franklin’s map (1769)
 
The Gulf Stream is a warm, fast flowing current that forms the western boundary of the North Atlantic Gyre. During its course, its temperature gradually drops as it releases heat into the atmosphere.
 
The warm air that rises from the Gulf stream blows over the European continent and is responsible for the temperate climate that characterises many of its countries.

In the past, exploration across the Atlantic provided knowledge of this warm meandering current. Through navigation, a lot of information about its behaviour was gathered, and it became an important route for trade.

Today, Earth Observation from space helps us understand the characteristics of this oceanic current to a greater extent. Satellite imagery provides us with valuable data that is used among various fields of study, one of the most important being oceanography.

This case study focuses on the monitoring of this major oceanic current through satellite data obtained by different sensors and through different techniques.
 
 

This case study includes:

  • a background section
  • exercises

    • You can access them by clicking on the links on the right.


     
     
      
    Last update: 13 January 2014


    The Gulf Stream


    Background

     •  The North Atlantic Gyre (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEM1HYK1YHH_0.html)
     •  Sea surface currents (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMSM2L1YHH_0.html)

    Exercises

     •  Exercise 1: Sea surface temperature (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMJ60L1YHH_0.html)
     •  Exercise 2: Sea surface height (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEM7D0L1YHH_0.html)
     •  Exercise 3: Eddies (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Eduspace_Weather_EN/SEMIP2L1YHH_0.html)

    Eduspace - Software

     •  LEOWorks 4 (MacOS) (http://leoworks.asrc.ro/download/leoworks.app.zip)
     •  LEOWorks 4 (Linux) (http://leoworks.asrc.ro/download/leoworks.jar)
     •  LEOWorks 4 (Windows) (http://leoworks.asrc.ro/download/leoworks.exe)

    Eduspace - Download

     •  GulfStream.zip (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/The-Gulf-Stream1.zip)