USE OF MERIS DATA FOR LAND COVER AND SEA PHENOMENON MAPPING IN THE NORTH OF ALGERIA: FIRST RESULTS

摘要

MERIS has a high spectral and radiometric resolution and a dual spatial resolution, within a global mission covering open ocean and coastal zone waters. The global mission of MERIS has a major contribution to scientific projects which seek to understand the role of the oceans and ocean productivity in the climate system. In addition to its main objectives MERIS data already now show a large potential for applications in the area of vegetation monitoring, land use and so on. In that context, MERIS data are being used owing to their accuracy, spectral and spatial performance. This paper is intended to give our contribution in the use of MERIS data products. This paper describes the preliminary results of a study, always in carrying out, in the context of the ERS-ENVISAT AOE 703 project, towards the use of MERIS for land cover and sea phenomenon mapping in the North of Algeria. Full resolution level L2 data of June 13th, 2003, were used in this study. First, quality and information content of the used MERIS images were explored. The availability of MERIS reflectances in the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum gives now the useful opportunity of regular observation the water quality in coastal waters. We present, for our part, some results concerning the state of the sea and the Algerian coastal waters. For our preliminary work, the Basic ERS & Envisat (A)ATSR and Meris Toolbox (BEAM) software is used. The software is a collection of executable tools for utilisation, viewing and processing of MERIS, (A)ATSR and ASAR data.