إلى الأعماق فعلًا: النظام الذي يرى تيارات المحيطات من الفضاء

A new study led by Tel Aviv University presents a significant breakthrough in ocean research: an innovative system called GOFLOW enables , for the first time, the mapping of ocean currents with extremely high accuracy directly from satellite imagery. Researchers estimate that this new capability will contribute to a deeper understanding of the processes that influence weather patterns, the climate crisis, and the interplay between the ocean and the atmosphere.

The study was led by Professor Roy Barkan from the Department of Geophysics at the School of Exact Sciences, in collaboration with Luke Lennan from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Kaushik Srinivasan from the University of California, and Nicholas Bezzo from the University of Rhode Island. The study was published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Calm waters conceal great depths: This is how the processes within the Gulf Stream were revealed

The oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface and are a key driver of global climate regulation. Ocean currents, such as the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean, are responsible for transporting heat, carbon, and energy over vast distances. However, until now, much of the small-scale, rapid processes occurring within them—at scales of tens of kilometers or less—has remained beyond the direct measurement capabilities of satellites.

This is where GOFLOW comes in . Developed using artificial intelligence and trained on highly advanced ocean simulations, the system analyzes a series of infrared images of sea surface temperatures to infer horizontal water flow fields. Unlike previous methods that relied on limited physical assumptions, this system succeeds in detecting more complex and precise movements.

The analysis reveals that regions like the Gulf Stream experience strong dynamic processes on scales smaller than 30 kilometers, accompanied by sharp temperature changes and converging flow patterns. These phenomena are linked to vertical water mixing, the upwelling or downwelling of water masses, and the influence on heat and gas exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere.

Better preparedness for extreme weather events

The researchers point out that the study's findings have clear climatic implications, as ocean mixing and energy transfer processes influence storm intensity, marine heatwave development, pollutant dispersal, and the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A better understanding of these mechanisms could improve climate forecasting models and provide more accurate predictions of extreme weather events.

Furthermore, the researchers assert that the system provides, for the first time, a direct spatial representation of the horizontal divergence field in the ocean, a key indicator for understanding vertical water movements. This information was previously only available through computer simulations or in-situ measurements at sea.

Professor Roy Barkan concludes by saying:

“The ocean is a key component of Earth’s climate system, but much of the processes that drive it occur on small, rapid scales that are very difficult to measure directly. Through GOFLOW, we are successfully extracting, for the first time, dynamic information from satellites that was previously unavailable, revealing mechanisms that affect mixing, heat transfer, and gas exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. In an era of accelerating climate change, the ability to see these fine details is crucial to better understanding the big picture.”

About Professor Roi Barkan

Professor Roy Barkan is a researcher in the Department of Geophysics at Tel Aviv University, specializing in physical oceanography and fluid dynamics. His research focuses on understanding dynamic processes in the ocean at small and medium scales and how they affect water mixing and the exchange of energy and gases between the sea and the atmosphere. His research combines advanced numerical models, satellite data, and technological tools such as artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy of climate models and ocean current forecasts.