Bio-Optical Characteristics and Remote Sensing in the Mid Chesapeake Bay Through Integration of Observations and Radiative Transfer Closure

Abstract

Remotely sensed ocean color is an essential tool for studying water quality and biogeochemical processes, and applying results for coastal ecosystem assessment and management. Successful interpretation and application of remote sensing data depends to a large extent on the accuracy of, and consistency among, the in-situ data used in the calibration and validation of satellite measurements and in algorithm development. Thus, the degree of closure among bio-optical quantities independently measured in the field becomes critical for remote sensing applications. Optical closure results can be used to identify sources of errors associated with different measurement methodologies, investigate uncertainties in relations between inherent and apparent optical properties used in bio-optical models, and examine the relative importance of certain processes in determining ocean color. Here, we discuss how remote sensing of water quality in optically complex environments can be improved by integrating optical measurements and radiative-transfer model calculations. This approach is illustrated with recent findings on the bio-optical characteristics of Chesapeake Bay waters, including measurements of the magnitude and spectral characteristics of particulate backscattering. We then discuss progress on optical closure studies in coastal regions and propose bio-optical relations for remote sensing retrieval of water quality indicators in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem