This book provides extensive insight on remote sensing of coastal waters from aircraft and space-based platforms. The primary focus of the book is optical remote sensing using passive instruments, to measure and analyze the coastal aquatic environment. The authors have gathered information from a variety of sources, to help non-specialists grasp new techniques and technology, to quickly produce useful data
The proliferation of harmful phytoplankton in marine ecosystems can cause massive fish kills, contaminate seafood with toxins, impact local and regional economies and dramatically affect ecological balance. Real-time observations are essential for effective short-term operational forecasting, but observation and modelling systems are still being developed. This volume provides guidance for developing real-time and near real-time sensing systems for observing and predicting plankton dynamics, including harmful algal blooms, in coastal waters. The underlying theory is explained and current trends in research and monitoring are discussed.Topics covered include: coastal ecosystems and dynamics of harmful algal blooms; theory and practical applications of in situ and remotely sensed optical detection of microalgal distributions and composition; theory and practical applications of in situ biological and chemical sensors for targeted species and toxin detection; integrated observing systems and platforms for detection; diagnostic and predictive modelling of ecosystems and harmful algal blooms, including data assimilation techniques; observational needs for the public and government; and future directions for research and operations.
This open access book presents the proceedings volume of the YOUMARES 8 conference, which took place in Kiel, Germany, in September 2017, supported by the German Association for Marine Sciences (DGM). The YOUMARES conference series is entirely bottom-up organized by and for YOUng MARine RESearchers. Qualified early career scientists moderated the scientific sessions during the conference and provided literature reviews on aspects of their research field. These reviews and the presenters’ conference abstracts are compiled here. Thus, this book discusses highly topical fields of marine research and aims to act as a source of knowledge and inspiration for further reading and research.
Bio-optical Modeling and Remote Sensing of Inland Waters presents the latest developments, state-of-the-art, and future perspectives of bio-optical modeling for each optically active component of inland waters, providing a broad range of applications of water quality monitoring using remote sensing. Rather than discussing optical radiometry theories, the authors explore the applications of these theories to inland aquatic environments. The book not only covers applications, but also discusses new possibilities, making the bio-optical theories operational, a concept that is of great interest to both government and private sector organizations. In addition, it addresses not only the physical theory that makes bio-optical modeling possible, but also the implementation and applications of bio-optical modeling in inland waters. Early chapters introduce the concepts of bio-optical modeling and the classification of bio-optical models and satellite capabilities both in existence and in development. Later chapters target specific optically active components (OACs) for inland waters and present the current status and future direction of bio-optical modeling for the OACs. Concluding sections provide an overview of a governance strategy for global monitoring of inland waters based on earth observation and bio-optical modeling. - Presents comprehensive chapters that each target a different optically active component of inland waters - Contains contributions from respected and active professionals in the field - Presents applications of bio-optical modeling theories that are applicable to researchers, professionals, and government agencies
This volume offers a treatment of radiative transfer theory in a format tailored to the specific needs of optical oceanography, with applications to real problems. It develops the basic theory and reviews the current literature. Numerical methods for solving radiative transfer equations are then detailed, with equations describing transpectral effects, internal surfaces, and surface effects. Equations governing the propagation of visible light across air-water surfaces and within water bodies are also explained.
The irradiance pattern was measured for the propagation of a collimated beam of light underwater. A neodymium-doubled green laser was transmitted horizontally at a six foot depth in Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H. The irradiance was measured at distances from 0 to 100 feet and for off-axis angles from 0 to 58 degrees. The water had an attenuation length of 4.54 ft/ln and an absorption coefficient of 0.0446 ln/ft. The ratio of attenuation coefficient to absorption coefficient was 4.94. The fractional power contained within a cone of various angles was computed. At 20 attenuation lengths only 10% of the total power is contained within a cone of 4 degrees whereas at 4 attenuation lengths this same cone contains 50% of the power. (Author).
The aquatic coastal zone is one of the most challenging targets for environmental remote sensing. Properties such as bottom reflectance, spectrally diverse suspended sediments and phytoplankton communities, diverse benthic communities, and transient events that affect surface reflectance (coastal blooms, runoff, etc.) all combine to produce an optical complexity not seen in terrestrial or open ocean systems. Despite this complexity, remote sensing is proving to be an invaluable tool for "Case 2" waters. This book presents recent advances in coastal remote sensing with an emphasis on applied science and management. Case studies of the operational use of remote sensing in ecosystem studies, monitoring, and interfacing remote sensing/science/management are presented. Spectral signatures of phytoplankton and suspended sediments are discussed in detail with accompanying discussion of why blue water (Case 1) algorithms cannot be applied to Case 2 waters. Audience This book is targeted for scientists and managers interested in using remote sensing in the study or management of aquatic coastal environments. With only limited discussion of optics and theory presented in the book, such researchers might benefit from the detailed presentations of aquatic spectral signatures, and to operational management issues. While not specifically written for remote sensing scientists, it will prove to be a useful reference for this community for the current status of aquatic coastal remote sensing.
Ocean color measured by satellite-mounted optical sensors is an essential climate variable that is routinely used as a central element for assessing the health and productivity of marine ecosystems and the role of oceans in the global carbon cycle. For satellite ocean color to be reliable and used in these and other important environmental applications, the data must be trustworthy and high quality. Pre-flight and on-board calibration of satellite ocean color sensors is conducted; however, once in orbit, the data quality can only be fully assessed via independent calibration and validation activities using surface measurements. These measurements therefore need to be at least as high quality as the satellite data, which necessitates SI traceability and a full uncertainty budget. This is the basis for fiducial reference measurements (FRMs) and the FRM4SOC project, which was an European Space Agency (ESA) initiative to establish and maintain SI-traceable ground-based FRM for satellite ocean color, thus providing a fundamental contribution to the European system for monitoring the Earth (Copernicus). This Special Issue of MDPI Remote Sensing is designed to showcase this essential Earth observation work through the publication of the project's main achievements and results accompanied by other select relevant articles.