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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Derivation and Evaluation of Satellite-Based Surface Current
ClearImproving the Altimeter-Derived Surface Currents Using Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Data: A Sensitivity Study to SST Products
Researchers developed a method to improve estimates of ocean surface currents by combining satellite altimeter data with high-resolution sea surface temperature measurements. Better ocean current models are relevant to predicting how microplastics are transported across ocean basins.
Improved Surface Currents from Altimeter-Derived and Sea Surface Temperature Observations: Application to the North Atlantic Ocean
This study improved ocean surface current reconstructions by merging satellite altimeter-derived geostrophic currents with sea surface temperature observations. The multi-variate approach reduced errors in current estimates and has applications for tracking floating debris and pollutants including microplastics.
Comment on essd-2023-107
This comment discusses a methodology for reconstructing high-resolution sea surface currents from satellite data. Accurate ocean current models are relevant to predicting the transport and accumulation patterns of floating microplastics in the world's oceans.
Wind‐Based Estimations of Ocean Surface Currents From Massive Clusters of Drifters in the Gulf of Mexico
Researchers used ocean surface drifter data from the Gulf of Mexico to develop models estimating surface currents from wind measurements. This type of modeling can be applied to predict how microplastic debris disperses across ocean surfaces after entering from river or coastal sources.
Vertical structure of ocean surface currents under high winds from massive arrays of drifters
This oceanography study used drifting buoys to measure ocean surface currents very close to the water surface, improving understanding of how wind and waves drive near-surface transport. Such current models are important for predicting how buoyant microplastics are distributed and concentrated across ocean surface waters.
A novel filtering method for geodetically determined ocean surface currents using deep learning
Researchers used deep learning to improve the accuracy of ocean current maps derived from satellite measurements of sea level and gravity. Better ocean current mapping helps scientists track where microplastics travel and accumulate in the ocean once they enter from rivers and coastlines.
A Real-time Product to Help Ocean Cleanup Operations
Researchers developed a real-time oceanographic product to support open-ocean plastic cleanup operations, integrating current, wind, and wave data to generate operational forecasts of plastic debris drift and accumulation that can guide the routing of cleanup vessels.
Near-Surface Dispersion and Current Observations Using Dye, Drifters, and HF Radar in Coastal Waters
Not relevant to microplastics — this is a physical oceanography study using dye tracers and drifters to investigate near-surface contaminant dispersion mechanisms in coastal waters, focused on Ekman currents and Stokes drift for improving predictive transport models.
Fate of microplastics and mesoplastics carried by surface currents and wind waves: A numerical model approach in the Sea of Japan
A particle-tracking ocean model for the Sea of Japan showed that surface currents, wind waves, and Stokes drift all influence the distribution of floating microplastics, with model outputs matching field survey data. The study demonstrates the value of combining wave dynamics with current models to predict where microplastics accumulate in coastal seas.
Observations of Near‐Surface Current Shear Help Describe Oceanic Oil and Plastic Transport
Researchers used near-surface current shear measurements to better describe how oil and plastic debris disperse and accumulate at the ocean surface, improving model predictions for the distribution of floating contaminants.
Pathways of marine debris derived from trajectories of Lagrangian drifters
Researchers applied a probabilistic model to global satellite-tracked ocean drifter trajectories to map marine debris pathways, identifying five subtropical convergence zones maintained by Ekman currents where floating debris — including microplastics — preferentially accumulates, confirming predictions with direct ocean surface measurements.
The Role of the Unsteady Surface Wave‐Driven Ekman–Stokes Flow in the Accumulation of Floating Marine Litter
Researchers modeled the role of wave-driven Ekman-Stokes flow in the accumulation of floating marine debris, finding that this near-surface current mechanism significantly influences where plastic litter concentrates at sea, with implications for predicting and targeting ocean cleanup efforts.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for Ocean: A Review
This review covers how Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite systems are used to monitor ocean conditions, including waves, currents, oil spills, and sea ice. While not directly about microplastics, SAR technology is increasingly being explored as a tool for detecting large-scale plastic pollution in the ocean. The remote sensing methods described could eventually contribute to tracking and mapping microplastic contamination across vast ocean areas.
Microplastic Distribution Characteristics Considering the Marine Environment Based on Surface Seawater Quality Parameters in Southern Sea of Korea, 2019
Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution characteristics in marine environments using spatial modeling, identifying accumulation zones and transport pathways driven by ocean currents, depth, and particle density.
Satellite sensors as an emerging technique for monitoring macro- and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems
This review assessed the emerging use of satellite remote sensing technologies for monitoring macro- and microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems, evaluating current capabilities and limitations of different satellite sensors for detecting waterborne plastic debris.
Influence of Near‐Surface Currents on the Global Dispersal of Marine Microplastic
An ocean circulation model incorporating biological and physical processes found that near-surface currents, including wind-driven surface drift and wave-induced mixing, play a major role in dispersing buoyant microplastics globally, with plastic accumulating preferentially in subtropical convergence zones. The model improves understanding of how ocean physics shapes global microplastic distribution patterns.
The Role of Ekman Currents, Geostrophy, and Stokes Drift in the Accumulation of Floating Microplastic
Researchers modeled the roles of Ekman currents, geostrophic flow, Stokes drift, and mesoscale eddies in concentrating floating microplastic in subtropical gyres, finding that wind-driven Ekman transport is the dominant accumulation mechanism.
Measurement of Near-Surface Current Shear Using a Lagrangian Platform and Its Implication on Microplastic Dispersion
A new Lagrangian ocean platform equipped with an upward-facing sonar measured current shear within the top 2 meters of the sea surface, finding elevated velocity gradients that strongly influence how lightweight particles like microplastics disperse. The findings help explain why surface MP concentrations are so patchy and provide better data for models predicting where plastics accumulate.
Retrieval of Surface Current from HIMAWARI-8 Sea Surface Temperature Data and Particle Image Velocimetry Method
This paper is not about microplastics; it is an oceanographic study using sea surface temperature data from the Himawari-8 satellite and particle image velocimetry algorithms to estimate surface ocean currents in the Flores Sea, Indonesia.
Numerical integrators for Lagrangian oceanography
This technical study compared numerical methods for calculating ocean particle trajectories from model current data, with relevance to tracking floating microplastics at sea. The choice of interpolation method significantly affects trajectory accuracy, with implications for marine plastic transport modeling.
Global mapping for the occurrence of all-sized microplastics in seafloor sediments
Researchers developed code for extracting ocean surface current and near-bed thermohaline current data to analyze the hydrodynamic driving forces behind global microplastic distribution patterns in seafloor sediments.
Comparing models and observations of the surface accumulation zone of floating plastic in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre
This study compared ocean circulation models to observational data on where floating plastic accumulates in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. Improving model accuracy is important for predicting plastic concentration zones and designing effective ocean cleanup strategies.
Passive buoyant tracers in the ocean surface boundary layer: 2. Observations and simulations of microplastic marine debris
Using ocean computer models calibrated against real-world observations, this study showed how wave mixing and other physical processes push buoyant microplastics below the ocean surface, explaining why less plastic is detected at the surface than expected. These models are critical for estimating where microplastic pollution is truly accumulating in the ocean.
Proof of concept for a new sensor to monitor marine litter from space
Researchers analyzed 300,000 satellite images of the Mediterranean Sea to track floating marine litter over time, finding that heavy rainfall events drive most litter inputs from land while coastal currents and wind determine how it spreads. The study demonstrates that satellites can reliably map pollution hotspots and detect seasonal trends, making space-based monitoring a practical new tool for managing ocean plastic pollution.