Uncertainties assessment and satellite validation over 2 years time series of multispectral and hyperspectral measurements in coastal waters at Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory

摘要

Optical remote sensing of coastal waters from space is a basic requirement for monitoring global water quality and assessing anthropogenic impacts. However, this task remains highly challenging due to the optical complexity of the atmosphere-water system in coastal areas. In order to support present and future multi- and hyper-spectral calibration/validation activities for the Ocean Color Radiometry (OCR) satellites, as well as the development of new measurements and retrieval techniques for coastal waters, City College of New York along with the Naval Research Laboratory (Stennis) has established a scientifically comprehensive observation platform, the Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory (LISCO). As an integral part of the NASA AERONET - Ocean Color Network, LISCO is equipped with a multispectral SeaPRISM system. In addition, LISCO expands its observational capabilities through hyperspectral measurements with a HyperSAS system. The related multi - and hyperspectral data processing and data quality analysis are described. The three main OCR satellites, MERIS, MODIS and SeaWiFS, have been evaluated against the LISCO dataset of quality-checked measurements of SeaPRISM and HyperSAS. Adjacency effects impacting satellite data have been analyzed and found negligible. The remote sensing reflectances retrieved from satellite and in situ data are also compared. These comparisons show satisfactory correlations (R~(2) > 0.91 at 547nm) and consistencies (median value of the absolute percentage difference approx 7.4percent). It is also found that merging of the SeaPRISM and HyperSAS data at LISCO site significantly improve the overall data quality which makes this dataset highly suitable for satellite data validation purposes or for potential vicarious calibration activities.