SAR observations of typical phenomena in the Black Sea shore area

Summer/autumn experiments conducted for the past four years by Space Research Institute RAS near Ghelendzhik, Black Sea shore, allowed to closely monitor sea and atmosphere dynamics in the region. Over 35 ERS-2 SAR images obtained exhibit large variety of important phenomena: atmospheric and oceanic fronts pollution and other slicks, atmospheric convection, vortices, lee patterns, etc. Available extensive data covering all-year sea state, NOAA data and hydrometeorological condition help to adequately interpret SAR signatures. The focus is on three phenomena: lee structures in the atmosphere downwind from the coastal ridge and their dependencies of their growth rate and spatial characteristics on wind speed and direction and medium stratification; vortices which are a frequent occasion in the 100-km coastal zone where north-western current predominates; considerable oil pollution of the coast registered in the end of July 2002.