SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIATIONS OF BACKWARD SCATTERING COEFFICIENT OF SEAWATER IN JAPANESE OPEN COASTAL SEA BASED ON EMPIRICAL ORTHOGONAL FUNCTIONS ANALYSIS

Abstract

 By applying the EOF analysis to the data from MODIS installed on the satellite, the backscattering coefficients of seawater along the open coast of Japan were investigated to understand the characteristics of spatial and temporal variabilities. The backscattering coefficients in the southern coast of Honshu are predominant in the first eigenmode, which increase during the flood season, mainly in the waters in front of the estuary of major rivers. On the other hand, in the east coast of Honshu and Hokkaido, the contribution rate of the first eigenmode is relatively low, and the supply of suspended particulate matter from sea cliffs and influence of rivers with different seasonal changes were suggested.