Applications

Eutrophication assessment

In addition to the optimisation of seaborne monitoring, satellite chlorophyll imagery can be used directly to supplement in situ measurements, providing excellent spatial and good temporal coverage. For states with long coastlines satellite imagery becomes particularly attractive as a low cost supplement to a sparse network of in situ monitoring locations. Satellite monitoring of eutrophication for the purposes of fulfilling reporting obligations to OSPAR and/or the EU-WFD is under consideration or already in progress for a number of North Sea states including the UK , France , Belgium and Spain . The OSPAR and EU-WFD requirements have led to the development of multitemporal percentile 90 (P90) chlorophyll a products . A P90 product for the entire OSPAR area is given below.

Chlorophyll a P90 derived from MERIS data for the 2005 growing season (March-October). The non-linear colour scale corresponds to various eutrophication problem thresholds used by the OSPAR member states. Source: Ruddick, K., Y. Park, R. Astoreca, A. Borges, G. Lacroix, and C. Lancelot. 2008. Application of the MERIS algal pigment products in Belgian waters. 2nd MERIS-(A)ATSR workshop. ESA SP-666.