Estimation of nuclear power plants influence on the Baltic Sea thermal state by using infrared thermal satellite data

The influence of the activity of nuclear power plants on the state of the environment attracts constant attention from environmental and scientific organizations. The great amount of heated water thrown off permanently into a water basin by nuclear power plants is one of the negative factors, one which seriously disturbs the thermal balance of water basins and leads to irreversible environmental changes. The degree of algae growth in a basin depends on the amount of inflowing biogenic substances, as well as the water temperature of a reservoir. The main aim of this research was to develop the remote method of monitoring the influence of nuclear power plants on the thermal state of water basins and to compare it with different natural inputs of heat. The objects of this research were the operating nuclear power plants of the Baltic Sea rim.