Publications

Bramich, JM; Bolch, CJS; Fischer, AM (2018). Evaluation of atmospheric correction and high-resolution processing on SeaDAS-derived chlorophyll-a: an example from mid-latitude mesotrophic waters. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING, 39(8), 2119-2138.

Abstract
Over the last 15years, great effort has gone into the development of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) retrieval algorithms for case 2 waters, where variations in the water leaving radiance signal are not well correlated with concentrations of chl-a. In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived chl-a retrieval algorithms in the less productive coastal waters around Tasmania, Australia. Algorithms were evaluated using matches between satellite imagery and in-situ water samples (number of samples, n=16-65) derived from a 604 sample data set collected over a 9-year period. Three aerosol correction models and three chl-a retrieval algorithms were evaluated using both standard and high-resolution processing procedures using the National Aeronatics and Space Adminstration's SeaDAS software package. chl-a retrievals were evaluated in Bass Strait, where in-situ chl-a was less than 1mgm(-3) and retrievals were less affected by coloured dissolved organic matter. chlor_a, the default SeaDAS chl-a product, with the Management unit of the North Sea Mathematical models aerosol correction algorithm performed best (root mean square error (RMSE)=0.09mgm(-3); mean absolute percentage error (MAPE)=34%; coefficient of determination, R-2=0.75). The fluorescence line height algorithm using Rayleigh corrected top of atmosphere reflectances (RMSE=0.11mgm(-3), MAPE=41%, R-2=0.61) may provide an alternative in waters where full atmospheric correction is problematic and the two-band red/near-infrared algorithm failed to provide a meaningful estimate of chl-a. High-resolution processing of MODIS imagery improved spatial resolution but reduced chl-a retrieval accuracy, reducing the agreement between measured and predicted levels by between 12% and 25% depending on the retrieval algorithm. The SeaDAS default chlor_a product proved superior to the alternatives in mid-latitude mesotrophic coastal waters with low chl-a concentrations. In addition, there appears little benefit in using MODIS high-resolution processing mode for chl-a retrievals.

DOI:
10.1080/01431161.2017.1420930

ISSN:
0143-1161