Properties of the Water Column and Bottom Derived from Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Data

ZhongPing Lee, Kendall L. Carder, Robert F. Chen, Thomas G. Peacock

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Using Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data as an example, we show in this study that the properties of the water column and bottom of a large, shallow area can be adequately retrieved using a model-driven optimization technique. The simultaneously derived properties include bottom depth, bottom albedo, and water absorption and backscattering coefficients, which in turn could be used to derive concentrations of chlorophyll, dissolved organic matter, and suspended sediments in the water column. The derived bottom depths were compared with a bathymetry chart and a boat survey and were found to agree very well. Also, the derived bottom albedo image shows clear spatial patterns, with end-members consistent with sand and seagrass. The image of absorption and backscattering coefficients indicates that the water is quite horizontally mixed, Without bottom corrections, chlorophyll a retrievals were similar to 50 mg m(-3), while the retrievals after bottom corrections were tenfold less, approximating real values. These results suggest that the model and approach used work very well for the retrieval of subsurface properties of shallow-water environments even for rather turbid environments like Tampa Bay, Florida.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalJournal of Geophysical Research
Volume106
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 15 2001

Keywords

  • geophysics
  • life sciences
  • marine biology
  • oceanography

Disciplines

  • Life Sciences
  • Marine Biology

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