Distinguishing Closed Circulations from the Satellite Maps of the Dynamic Topography of the Ocean Surface

Abstract

An algorithm for distinguishing closed multicore circulations from digital maps of dynamic topography (DT) is described. The algorithm is based on the expansion of eddies over the area from their cores (local maxima/minima of the DT) until the DT thresholds corresponding to these cores are reached. The algorithm is performed in several iterations until the points belonging to the closed circulations are completely exhausted. The algorithm is an exact numerical solution of the problem of determining the value of the DT for a closed loop, the most distant from the core of circulation. The algorithm takes into account the problems of nesting circulations of different signs into each other, the possible intersecting of circulations with different signs on the numerical grid, and the possible existence of islands or floating ice inside the circulations. A method is described for merging smaller DT maps to larger maps with the circulations distinguished from the smaller maps.