Publications

Zibordi, G.; Melin, F.; Berthon, J. -F.; Talone, M. (2015). In situ autonomous optical radiometry measurements for satellite ocean color validation in the Western Black Sea. OCEAN SCIENCE, 11(2), 275-286.

Abstract
The accuracy of primary satellite ocean color data products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on-board Aqua (MODIS-A) and the Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is investigated in the Western Black Sea using in situ measurements from the Gloria site included in the ocean color component of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET-OC). The analysis is also extended to an additional well-established AERONET-OC site in the northern Adriatic Sea characterized by optically complex coastal waters exhibiting similarities to those observed at the Gloria site. Results from the comparison of normalized water-leaving radiance L-WN indicate biases of a few percent between satellite-derived and in situ data at the center wavelengths relevant for the determination of chlorophyll a concentrations (443-547 nm, or equivalent). Remarkable is the consistency between the annual cycle determined with time series of satellite-derived and in situ L-WN ratios at these center wavelengths. Contrarily, the differences between in situ and satellite-derived L-WN are pronounced at the blue (i.e., 412 nm) and red (i.e., 667 nm, or equivalent) center wavelengths, confirming difficulties in confidently applying satellite-derived radiometric data from these spectral regions for quantitative analysis in optically complex waters.

DOI:
10.5194/os-11-275-2015

ISSN:
1812-0784