Abstract
In this study, we have developed the method to measure two-dimensional sea surface temperature and the velocity field simultaneously in the coastal area using thermography mounted on UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). The developed method was applied to warm water discharge from a thermal power plant, and the turbulent diffusion process of the buoyant jet in a coastal area was investigated. The distribution of velocity from the series of the thermal image was consistent with that measured by the shipboard ADCP. The method also showed that the horizontal profile of temperature and velocity can be described by the Gaussian function. The UAV observation system can reveal the detailed horizontal distribution of turbulent characteristics, temperature, and velocity in coastal areas.
