The pattern of Shannon entropy distribution in the Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract

There are few data on ocean current observation by ships and drifting buoys in the Sea of Okhotsk. This situation is the obstacle to improve the accuracy in the numerical prediction of sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk.
To investigate the features of the ocean current in this area, the satellite images are analyzed using Shannon entropy, which expresses the disorder of distribution of a parameter in the image, and allows the extraction of the patterns associated with eddy and current on the sea surface.
Here, NOAA/AVHRR infrared image is used to calculate Shannon entropy in the Sea of Okhotsk, and its distribution is illustrated. By selecting the appropriate minimum area for calculation, ocean eddies and currents are clearly indicated in the distribution of Shannon entropy.