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Application of Landsat Thematic Mapper data for coastal thermal plume analysis at Diablo CanyonThe possibility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) thermal data to derive absolute temperature distributions in coastal waters that receive cooling effluent from a power plant is demonstrated. Landsat TM band 6 (thermal) data acquired on June 18, 1986, for the Diablo Canyon power plant in California were compared to ground truth temperatures measured at the same time. Higher-resolution band 5 (reflectance) data were used to locate power plant discharge and intake positions and identify locations of thermal pixels containing only water, no land. Local radiosonde measurements, used in LOWTRAN 6 adjustments for atmospheric effects, produced corrected ocean surface radiances that, when converted to temperatures, gave values within approximately 0.6 C of ground truth. A contour plot was produced that compared power plant plume temperatures with those of the ocean and coastal environment. It is concluded that Landsat can provide good estimates of absolute temperatures of the coastal power plant thermal plume. Moreover, quantitative information on ambient ocean surface temperature conditions (e.g., upwelling) may enhance interpretation of numerical model prediction.
Document ID
19890054804
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Gibbons, D. E.
(Pacific Northwest Lab. Richland, WA, United States)
Wukelic, G. E.
(Pacific Northwest Laboratories Richland, WA, United States)
Leighton, J. P.
(Pacific Northwest Lab. Richland, WA, United States)
Doyle, M. J.
(Pacific Gas and Electric Co. San Ramon, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1989
Publication Information
Publication: Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing
Volume: 55
ISSN: 0099-1112
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Accession Number
89A42175
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-AC06-76RL-01830
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASA ORDER S-56102-D
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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