Research Group
Prof. Hühnerfuss
 

Modification of the signals of remote sensors by organic marine substances

Natural and man-made organic surface films, which often can be observed on the sea surface, strongly affect the surface wave field. As a consequence, several air/sea interaction processes, the electromagnetic emission in the visible and microwave bands, and scattering of electromagnetic waves are influenced by such films.

In order to study the influence of sea slicks on the signals of various remote sensors, we have been performing investigations on the open sea, employing experimental sea slicks that can be regarded as „quasi-biogenic" slicks. Such slicks including substances like triolein (simulating „fish oil"), fatty acid mono-esters, long-chain alcohols etc. are model slicks that consist of a pure compound thus allowing a correlation between its chemical structure and its influence on remote sensing signals.

Insofar, our laboratory experiments aiming at a characterization of monolayers at the air/water interface are closely linked with our slick experiments on the open ocean that have been performed in connection with international remote sensing campaigns (e.g., JONSWAP; MARSEN; SAR 580; SAXON-FPN; SIR-C
X-SAR, Bluewater ).