Satellite remote sensing and its application to coastal waters are briefly documented, giving emphasis to the retrieval of ocean colour products. The document addresses the complexity of coastal water optics, imposed by unrelated multiple compounds in the water column, affecting the light field through their own absorption and scattering properties. Other difficulties to take into consideration when analyzing satellite data in coastal waters include bottom reflectance and transpectral processes such as fluorescence due to high concentration of phytoplankton pigments. The atmospheric correction of coastal data is challenged by the presence of continental aerosols, bottom albedo, and, adjacency of land and marine regions. Blue to green band ratio algorithms commonly developed for open ocean are not suitable for highly dynamic coastal water. Some improvements may be gained with multi- and hyper-spectral sensors using bands better representing the water optical conditions. More sophisticated statistical and mathematical approaches to account for multivariate, non-linear systems are still under research development. The applications of satellite remote sensing in coastal waters are becoming more and more numerous in support to different sectors and community interests. The accuracy of the products may be, however, challenged by the complexity of this environment.

HOEPFFNER Nicolas;  ZIBORDI Giuseppe; 

2009-09-09

Elsevier Ltd

JRC34637

978-0-12-374473-9,   

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/referenceworks/9780123744739,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC34637,   

10.1016/B978-012374473-9.00801-8,