Parameters to Characterize Biological Conditions in Marine and Coastal Waters Retrieved from SeaWiFS Data

SeaWiFS satellite data were employed to demonstrate how the biological conditions in marine and coastal waters may be characterized using the concentration of chlorophyll-α (chl-α) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as the leading parameters. In marine waters the standard algorithms from the SeaWiFS Data Analysis System (SeaDAS) package were used to derive the concentrations, whereas in coastal waters special algorithms were developed using field data and a simulation model for the irradiance reflectance. Analysis of the Sea-WiFS data were performed for two study areas, namely the North Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey and the Pearl River Estuary in southern China. The analysis displayed the temporal and spatial distribution of chl-α and DOC as well as the movement and exchange of water masses. Such results are of great use for monitoring and forecasting the biological conditions in marine and coastal waters.