Available satellite imagery at various levels of processing

 

Ocean color related

 

Sensor

Time

Parameters

Ground Resolution (km)

CZCS

1978-1986

nLw, Chl-a, K490

1, 4, 9, 18

OCTS

1996-1997

nLw, Chl-a, K490

1, 4, 9

SeaWiFS

1997-present

nLw, Chl-a, K490, T865, PAR

1, 4, 9

MODIS-Terra

2000-present

nLw, Chl-a, K490, T865, SST

1, 4, 9

Turbidity, Enhanced True-color

0.25

MODIS-Aqua

2002-present

nLw, Chl-a, K490, T865, SST

1, 4, 9

Turbidity, Enhanced True-color

0.25

GLI

2003

nLw, Chl-a, K490, Red Tide Index, SST

0.25, 1, 4, 9

 

SST

 

Sensor

Time

Parameters

Ground Resolution (km)

AVHRR on NOAA

1981-present

MCSST

18

AVHRR on NOAA

1985-present

Pathfinder SST

4

MODIS Terra & Aqua

2000 - present

SST

1, 4

 

 

Winds and SSH

 

Sensor

Time

Parameters

Ground Resolution (km)

SeaWinds on QuikScat

1999-present

Wind velocity (u, v components), wind speed, speed2

25

Merged altimetry data

1992-present

Sea-level height anomaly

25

 

 

Derived Products (Level 4)

 

Source variables

Computed variable

Data sources

nLw multiple spectral bands

Chl-a

CZCS, OCTS, SeaWiFS, MODIS-T, MODIS-A, GLI

CDOM

IOPs (bb, at, aph, etc)

POC

SST, PAR, Chl-a

Net Primary Production (NPP)

Various

NPP, SST

Export Production (EF)

Various

 

 

 

 

 

Time Series from Satellite Imagery

 

1.     Define an area of interest or a series of areas of interest (mask)

2.     Pick a variable and its statistic (e.g. mean, median, s.d.)

3.     Apply to a series of images

 

 

 

 

Fig. 1. Sub-areas 1-12 in the Gulf of California

 

 

 

 

 

CZCS-Chl3

OCTS

SeaWiFS
 

 

 

Fig. 2. Integrated NPP using CZCS Chl3, OCTS and SeaWiFS Chl in sub-areas 1-3, 4-5 of the Gulf of California

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 3. Integrated NPP using CZCS Chl3, OCTS and SeaWiFS Chl in sub-areas 6-9, 10-12 of the Gulf of California. The black line shows the Extratropical Northern Oscillation Index (NOIx).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adobe Systems

Fig. 4. Integrated NPP using OCTS and SeaWiFS Chl in sub-areas 6-9, 10-12 of the Gulf of California compared to the mean seasonal cycle. The black filled areas show the major El Nino events according to the Extratropical Northern Oscillation Index (NOIx).

 

Adobe Systems

Fig. 5. Anomalies of integrated NPP using OCTS and SeaWiFS Chl in sub-areas 6-9, 10-12 of the Gulf of California compared to the mean seasonal cycle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 4. Events that will be missed by ship-based surveys (1 x 1 degree grid and CalCOFI stations shown).