MODIS and MERIS Detection of Dinoflagellates Blooms using the RBD Technique

摘要

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) can lead to severe economical and ecological impacts particularly in the coastal areas and can threaten human and marine health. About three-quarter of these toxic blooms are caused by dinoflagellates species which are well known to migrate vertically. During the day, they migrate up to the surface for photosynthesis, and consequently, their dense aggregations produce strong bio-optical signals that are detectable by space borne optical satellite sensors. In this study we use our recently developed low backscattering bloom detection technique, the Red Band Difference (RBD), to detect various dinoflagellates blooms using both MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and MERIS (Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) data and present the results which confirm the potentials of the RBD technique. Here we present examples of bloom detection in waters off Gulf of Mexico, Monterey Bay, South Africa, and East China Sea.