ABSTRACTS

Oral Session 8 | Wednesday, October 5, 14:20–14:40 | Abstract 603

Characterization of the organic vs. inorganic fraction of suspended particulate matter in coastal waters based on ocean color radiometry remote sensing

Knowledge of the organic and inorganic particulate fractions of suspended material in coastal waters is essential for the study of particle dynamics and biogeochemical cycles in these complex and highly variable environments. Thanks to the availability of appropriate satellite sensors, and to the considerable improvements of algorithms dedicated to the observation of coastal waters from ocean color radiometry (OCR) achieved these two last decades, various optical and biogeochemical parameters can now routinely be monitored over coastal waters. In this study we will show how the organic, mineral, or mix fractions of the suspended particulate matter can be estimated. For that purpose, the relationship between the particulate organic carbon to suspended particulate matter ratio and the particulate backscattering to scattering ratio will be discussed. Different algorithms (empirical, Neural Net, and semi-analytical) have been developed and tested against a large in situ data set collected in various coastal environments. The selected algorithm has then be applied to the MERIS sensor over the global coastal waters to discuss the relevance of this new product. Validation using an independent match-up data set is provided. A specific focus will be shown on different contrasted areas (the English Channel, the Black Sea and Vietnam coastal waters) for which the temporal occurrence of the organic vs. inorganic fraction at a given pixel built from temporal series over 10 years, will be discussed. This algorithm can be applied to all OCR sensors

Hubert Loisel, LOG–Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences (ULCO, France)

Kien Trung Tran, LOG–Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences

Vincent Vantrepotte, LOG–Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences

Daniel Schaffer Ferreira Jorge, LOG–Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences

Roy El Hourany, LOG–Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences

Lucile Duforet-Gaurier, LOG–Laboratoire d’Océanologie et de Géosciences