Sea surface imprints of wind field patterns in the Black Sea coastal zone as viewed by satellite SAR

The main goal of this study is to derive information on parameters characterizing airflows over the sea surface, particularly downwind natural obstacles from the analysis of SAR imagery. A series of ERS-2 SAR images of the sea surface recorded over north-eastern part of the Black Sea near the Caucasus coast is considered. This set of radar data has been collected in various seasons during 4 years. Related meteorological data, weather and cloudiness maps are available. A distinctive feature of the region is the mountain ridge stretched along shore and having a complicated structure with multiple canyons opening to the sea. Depending on the airflow characteristics radar images of sea surface can bear imprints associated with convection, internal waves in atmosphere, air jets, mushroom-like flows, lee waves, vortices, etc. Radar image patterns are investigated in relation to airflow speed and direction, boundary layer stratification and local topography.