Remote Sensing Techniques for Detecting Internal Solitary Waves: A comprehensive review and prospects

Oceanic internal solitary waves (ISWs) are widely distributed in oceans worldwide. ISWs exhibit significant amplitudes, high speeds, and short periods and thus have a substantial impact on the surrounding environment and engineering activities. Remote sensing plays a vital role in observing ISWs, with sensors encompassing traditional optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) means as well as SAR altimetry, 3D imaging radar altimetry, and innovative geostationary meteorological satellites. The data acquired from these sensors are extensively utilized to determine the spatiotemporal distribution and dissipation mechanisms of ISWs and are applied in parameter inversion. The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology has promoted remote sensing research on ISWs into a new era, relying on big data and high-performance algorithms to extract valuable information from imagery. This article reviews the current development of ISW remote sensing detection research, analyzes the problems of ISW detection by various remote sensing sensors, introduces the application of emerging artificial intelligence technology in ISW remote sensing research, and discusses future development trends.