Satellite Analysis of Estuarine Plume Behavior

Estuarine plumes at the Chesapeake, Delaware, and Raritan Bay entrances were studied in 268 Landsat MSS and 68 HCMM thermal infrared images. Turbidity or thermal boundaries were detected in nearly all images. Wind had a large influence on locations of boundaries: under strong southwest to west winds, plumes moved eastward from bay mouths into waste disposal areas. Northern winds, the Coriolis force, and net non-tidal coastal currents drove plumes southward along the coasts from bay mouths. Plume boundaries are more dispersed during ebb tide. Seasonal effects are mixed.