Air temperature isotherms at 500' M.S.L. usually do not show a general relationship 

 in direction with sea surface isotherms. Figure 2 shows closest isotherm relationship in the 

 central portion. Wind velocities were low (0-4 k.) in this area, and stable conditions may 

 have I'esulted in a paralleling of sea surface and air temperature isotherms. Figure 3 shows 

 less of an overall paralleling of isotherms, however, the southern portion shows a remote 

 relationship. In figure 4, the northern survey area, the gradients appear to have only a 

 slight relationship in the northern and southern portions. At an elevation of 500' it is likely 

 that the aircraft may fly into an inversion layer and fig-ure 4 shows this as the air tempera- 

 ture is above sea surface temperatures. From these observations it appears that air tem- 

 perature isotherms as observed in the eastern Pacific temperate region at 500' M.S.L. 

 appear to not be directly aligned with sea surface gradients obtained with the airborne IRT. 



Wind Flow 



As part of a cooperative program to measure oceanographic and meteorological 

 parameters operating in the Santa Barbar-a channel (Operation C.O.W.),four flights at daily 

 intervals were conducted in late April and early May 1963 on a predetermined track over 

 the channel. The flight track followed the coast line westward from Santa Barbara to Point 

 Conception, a point often defined as a zoogeographical and climatological dividing point. 

 Sea temperatur-es are known to decline rapidly with an increase in NW winds and sea state 

 when approaching Point Conception from the Santa Barbara channel. Wind flow pattern in 

 relation to sea surface isotherms, as determined by a Barnes 14-312 IRT, can be compared 

 in figures 5-9. Wind speeds were observed on one flight to range from near zero knots 

 along the Santa Barbara coast to over 30 knots off Pt. Conception. Isotherms appear to 

 follow wind flow in the northwestern end of the Santa Barbara channel, an area of higher 

 velocities than in the other parts of the area. 



Sea surface isotherms sometimes appear to generally follow wind flow patterns 

 around prominent geographical points of land, such as Pt. Conception, and islands off 

 southern California, either through heating of the sea surface layers by radiation heating 

 and air warmed from passage over a land mass combined with low velocities on the surface 

 or from the results of upwelling along a lee shore. The paralleling of isotherms with wind 

 flow appears not to be significant in offshore areas, and wind flow patterns experienced in 

 these areas during coastal surveys have at times been near 90° to the sea surface isotherm 

 gradients. Figures 2. 3, and 4 indicate surface flow directions that are not generally aligned 

 with the isotherm pattern. 



Mounting Problems 



Coastal IRT surveys use a U. S. Coast Guard Grumman UF-2, and since this aircraft 

 is not equipped with camera hatches or other openings in the hull bottom, a faired housing 

 with shock mounting for the detector head was fabricated for attachment to the starboard 

 Jato rack. This installation allowed a vertical view of the sea surface. The vertical view 

 of the sea surface is more desirable than an angular view, since on turns care must be taken 

 to delete a portion of record as the detector head views part of the horizon and gives false 

 reading. 



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