Spatial and temporal mapping of SST in east mediterranean (Aegean Sea) during 2005–2008

Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is a critical factor in oceanography and meteorology. Spatial fields of SST are capable of revealing any ocean feature or phenomenon that alters the sea surface skin temperature. The current work focuses at investigation of surface temperature in the Aegean Sea using MODerate resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometrer (MODIS) SST images collected from 2005 to 2008. Data were organized in a way to examine seasonal and monthly variation of SST. Hot spots, minimum, maximum and SST anomalies monthly and seasonally were identified by the application of methodology. Monthly variation is smooth and indicates that SST temperature ranging from 15.1 to 25.3°C. The year with the higher mean SST value was 2007 with 25.1°C while the minimum value came in 2006 with 14.7°C. Comparison with studies on previous decade showed an increase of minimum and maximum values at least of 1°C.