Posters

Poster Session 1, Monday,  October  3, 15:40–18:00

Poster 17

An intercomparison of satellite ocean color and high spectral resolution lidar measurements in the surface ocean

We present an intercomparison of satellite ocean color and high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) retrievals of upper ocean particulate backscattering (bbp) and diffuse attenuation coefficients (Kd). Ocean retrievals of bbp and Kd have been performed over a wide variety of optical and ecological domains using the NASA Langley Research Center HSRL-1 (532 nm) and the recently upgraded HSRL-2 (532 & 355 nm). These datasets provide a unique opportunity to perform a critical assessment of the HSRL technique and to explore the utility of HSRL measurements for evaluating the quality of ocean color remote sensing retrievals on regional scales. A matchup dataset of co-located and high-quality HSRL and ocean color remote sensing measurements was created using data from research flights conducted over the western North Atlantic Ocean during the NASA sponsored SABOR, NAAMES, and ACTIVATE campaigns. Overall, comparisons showed a strong agreement between HSRL and ocean color retrievals of bbp and Kd, providing confidence in our ability to retrieve upper ocean optical properties using oceanographic lidar. However, comparisons from individual flights can exhibit deviations that were not attributed to shifts in water column optical domains. In one of these cases, the simultaneous HSRL atmosphere-ocean retrievals from two consecutive days and within the same region were used to identify ocean color atmospheric correction errors resulting from the presence of absorbing aerosols. These results highlight the utility of airborne HSRL as a standalone ocean observing technology and as an independent and calibrated technique for assessing the quality of ocean color remote sensing retrievals.

Brian Collister, NASA Postdoctoral Program and NASA Langley Research Center, [email protected], 0000-0003-0385-0337 

Johnathan Hair, NASA Langley Research Center, [email protected] 

Chris Hostetler, NASA Langley Research Center, [email protected] 

Anthony Cook, NASA Langley Research Center, [email protected]

Amy Jo Scarino, Science Systems and Applications, Inc., and NASA Langley Research Center, [email protected]