Heat Storage in the Oceanic Upper Mixed Layer Inferred from Landsat Data

From the spacing of internal wave packets generated by tidal flow over topography, one can determine their propagation speed. The propagation speed depends upon the density anomaly and depth of the upper mixed layer. Attributing the density anomaly to temperature only, one can calculate the heat storage in the upper oceanic layer. On the basis of Landsat images of the New England continental shelf, the heat storage calculated from satellite data has been compared with available in situ observations. The data show that the method may have merit and is deserving of further refinement.