Use of Satellite Altimetry Data to Estimate Observation Conditions in Radar Imagery of Outflows from the Kaliningrad and Curonian Bays

Outflows from the Kaliningrad and Curonian Bays have a significant impact on the hydrochemical and hydrobiological processes in the coastal zone of the Baltic Sea. They are important objects of observation using both traditional hydrological measurements and remote sensing data. Monitoring outflows using satellite optical sensor data has become widespread, but these data can be significantly sparse in time due to cloud cover. Radar imagery can be used to complement these observations. To do this, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms by which the outflow occurs and the conditions that favor their occurrence. One such condition is the presence of currents in the straits, which arise between the bay and the sea as a result of the difference in sea level. This study has been aimed to develop a method for estimating the conditions for observing outflows in radar images based on satellite radar altimetry data from the studied bays and the Baltic Sea. In the study, the results of a comparison of recorded runoff observations with the relationship between bay and sea level, as well as an estimate of the applicability of the proposed method and an analysis of the possibility of expanding it by using data on the discharge of the rivers flowing into the studied gulfs, have been presented.