Oceanic chlorophyll concentrations as determined by satellite (Nimbus-7 Coastal Zone Color Scanner)

• DOI: 10.1007/bf00397032
• Publication Date: 2004-11-08T20:35:16Z
• Authors: R. C. Smith; K. S. Baker
• Keywords: Ocean color

Data gathered concurrently by ships and satellite (Nimbus-7 Coastal Zone Color Scanner) have been compared to optimize a general chlorophyll algorithm and to calculate chlorophyll concentrations in the Southern California Bight. This optimization provides regional images of chlorophyll concentration that are consistent with independent shipboard chlorophyll determination within ±40%. Chlorophyll images from satellite passes on 27 February, 6 March and 11 March 1979 are presented along with shipboard measurements to reveal complex and changing chlorophyll patterns including a significant decline in the mean chlorophyll concentration during the 2 wk study. These data provide a synoptic view of a complex oceanographic region which is impractical to obtain from ships alone. It is shown how concurrent ship and satellite data can be used for the quantitative definition and statistical analysis of an oceanic habitat descriptor (chlorophyll) for the modeling of the marine environment.