Remote sensing of coastal upwelling in the north-eastern Atlantic ocean

Abstract

The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) distribution of the subtropical North Atlantic shows low SSTs off Iberia and NW Africa due not only to cold water advection by the southward branch of the subtropical gyre but also to the upwelled cold subsurface waters associated to the wind-induced coastal divergence. The upwelling off the western coast of Iberia has a seasonal character associated with the northerly winds during summer whereas, further south (20-25°N), the upwelling off NW Africa is a permanent phenomenon driven by the trade winds. Since low SST and high productivity of the upper ocean characterize upwelling, remote sensing is a widely used tool for its study. The present paper reviews the main aspects, based in satellite observations, related to the physical and biological characteristics of the upwelling off Iberia and to their seasonal and interannual changes. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.