Difeng Wang

Atmospheric correction of satellite ocean color imagery using the ultraviolet wavelength for highly turbid waters

Instead of the conventionally atmospheric correction algorithms using the near-infrared and shortwave infrared wavelengths, an alternative practical atmospheric correction algorithm using the ultraviolet wavelength for turbid waters (named UV-AC) is proposed for satellite ocean color imagery in the paper. The principle of the algorithm is based on the fact that the water-leaving radiance at ultraviolet wavelengths can be neglected as compared with that at the visible light wavelengths or even near-infrared wavelengths in most cases of highly turbid waters due to the strong absorption by detritus and colored dissolved organic matter. The UV-AC algorithm uses the ultraviolet band to estimate the aerosol scattering radiance empirically, and it does not need any assumption of the waters optical properties. Validations by both of the simulated data and in situ data show that the algorithm is appropriate for the retrieval of the water-leaving radiance in turbid waters. The UV-AC algorithm can be used for all the current satellite ocean color sensors, and it is especially useful for those ocean color sensors lacking the shortwave infrared bands. Moreover, the algorithm can be used for any turbid waters with negligible water-leaving radiance at ultraviolet wavelength. Based on our work, we recommend the future satellite ocean color remote sensors setting the ultraviolet band to perform the atmospheric correction in turbid waters.

Areas of the global major river plumes

River plumes are the regions where the most intense river-sea-land interaction occurs, and they are characterized by complex material transport and biogeochemical processes. However, due to their highly dynamic nature, global river plume areas have not yet been determined for use in synthetic studies of global oceanography. Based on global climatological monthly averaged salinity data from the NOAA World Ocean Atlas 2009 (WOA09), and monthly averaged salinity contour maps of the East and South China Seas from the Chinese Marine Atlas, we extract the monthly plume areas of major global rivers using a geographic information system (GIS) technique. Only areas with salinities that are three salinity units lower than the average salinity in each ocean are counted. This conservative estimate shows that the minimum and maximum monthly values of the total plume area of the world’s 19 largest rivers are 1.72×106 km2 in May and 5.38×106 km2 in August. The annual mean area of these river plumes (3.72×106 km2) takes up approximately 14.2% of the total continental shelves areaworldwide (26.15×106 km2). This paper also presents river plume areas for different oceans and latitude zones, and analyzes seasonal variations of the plume areas and their relationships with river discharge. These statistics describing the major global river plume areas can now provide the basic data for the various flux calculations in the marginal seas, and therefore will be of useful for many oceanographic studies.

Upper ocean responses to category 5 typhoon Megi in the western north Pacific

Category 5 typhoon Megi was the most intense typhoon in 2010 of the world. It lingered in the South China Sea (SCS) for 5 d and caused a significant phytoplankton bloom detected by the satellite image. In this study, the authors investigated the ocean biological and physical responses to typhoon Megi by using chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration, sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), sea surface wind measurements derived from different satellites and in situ data. The chl-a concentration (>3 mg/m3) increased thirty times in the SCS after the typhoon passage in comparison with the mean level of October averaged from 2002 to 2009. With the relationship of wind stress curl and upwelling, the authors found that the speed of upwelling was over ten times during typhoon than pre-typhoon period. Moreover, the mixed layer deepened about 20 m. These reveal that the enhancement of chl-a concentration was triggered by strong vertical mixing and upwelling. Along the track of typhoon, the maximum sea surface cooling (6–8°C) took place in the SCS where the moving speed of typhoon was only 1.4–2.8 m/s and the mixed layer depth was about 20 m in pre-typhoon period. However, the SST drop at the east of the Philippines is only 1–2°C where the translation speed of typhoon was 5.5–6.9 m/s and the mixed layer depth was about 40 m in pre-typhoon period. So the extent of the SST drop was probably due to the moving speed of typhoon and the depth of the mixed layer. In addition, the region with the largest decline of the sea surface height anomaly can indicate the location where the maximum cooling occurs.

A new simple concept for ocean colour remote sensing using parallel polarisation radiance

Ocean colour remote sensing has supported research on subjects ranging from marine ecosystems to climate change for almost 35 years. However, as the framework for ocean colour remote sensing is based on the radiation intensity at the top-of-atmosphere (TOA), the polarisation of the radiation, which contains additional information on atmospheric and water optical properties, has largely been neglected. In this study, we propose a new simple concept to ocean colour remote sensing that uses parallel polarisation radiance (PPR) instead of the traditional radiation intensity. We use vector radiative transfer simulation and polarimetric satellite sensing data to demonstrate that using PPR has two significant advantages in that it effectively diminishes the sun glint contamination and enhances the ocean colour signal at the TOA. This concept may open new doors for ocean colour remote sensing. We suggest that the next generation of ocean colour sensors should measure PPR to enhance observational capability.

Remote Sensing Observation of Particulate Organic Carbon in the Pearl River Estuary

River estuaries are connectors of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Riverine particulate organic carbon (POC) is discharged into oceans after a series of biogeochemical reactions in estuaries. Satellite monitoring of POC will improve our understanding of the carbon dynamics of these water bodies. Based on in situ data from four seasonal survey cruises, we developed an algorithm for estimating POC concentrations in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE). Reflectance ratios, Rrs(678)/Rrs(488) and Rrs(748)/Rrs(412), were set as inputs to calculate POC concentration in the PRE. The algorithm was then applied to MODIS/AQUA data to inverse POC concentrations in the PRE from 2002 to 2014. Additionally, sources, impact factors, and seasonal distributions of POC were also investigated. Phytoplankton contributed more to POC in off-shore waters than that in in-shore waters in autumn and spring, but showed the opposite pattern in winter. Under the influence of freshwater from the Pearl River, underwater topography, tides, winds, etc., the seasonal POC concentrations along a specific section, vertical to water depth gradient, decreased in different seasons. These decreases could be described by exponential functions (y = aebx, b < 0). The distribution of POC concentrations in the PRE resulted from complex physical and biogeochemical processes, which can change spatially and seasonally.

Airborne geometry correction method for marine multispectrum data without attitude information

Marine airborne multispectrum scanner (MAMS) onboard the China marine surveillance plane can be used to survey marine environment, resources and disaster and provide the technical support for high-frequency, high-efficiency and high-resolution remote sensing monitoring for the coastal management. MAMS did not have the IMU/POS equipment, so it brought severe challenge for the geometry correction. One airborne geometry correction method is introduced for marine multi-spectrum data without the attitude information. First, it is the coarse geometry correction, which simulates the roll angle and pitch angle of plane according to the ideal flying model; the second step is the precise geometry correction by using the SPOT orthogonal projected data as the reference of registration, based on maximization of alignment metric method. With the validation, relative error of coarse correction is 81.42 m compared with SPOT data, and 11.3 m for precise correction. This method provides the high precision localization information for the oceanic remote sensing and application, and establishes the foundation for monitoring the marine resource and environment.

Parameter selection and model research on remote sensing evaluation for nearshore water quality

Using remote sensing technology for water quality evaluation is an inevitable trend in marine environmental monitoring. However, fewer categories of water quality parameters can be monitored by remote sensing technology than the 35 specified in GB3097-1997 Marine Water Quality Standard. Therefore, we considered which parameters must be selected by remote sensing and how to model for water quality evaluation using the finite parameters. In this paper, focused on Leizhou Peninsula nearshore waters, we found N, P, COD, PH and DO to be the dominant parameters of water quality by analyzing measured data. Then, mathematical statistics was used to determine that the relationship among the five parameters was COD>DO>P>N>pH. Finally, five-parameter, fourparameter and three-parameter water quality evaluation models were established and compared. The results showed that COD, DO, P and N were the necessary parameters for remote sensing evaluation of the Leizhou Peninsula nearshore water quality, and the optimal comprehensive water quality evaluation model was the fourparameter model. This work may serve as a reference for monitoring the quality of other marine waters by remote sensing.

An oil slick spectral experiment of nearshore sea water in the East China Sea

Alongwith the rapid advance in global industrialization, oil spill events caused by offshoreoperations, transportation and accidents are increasing. Compared with ship surveys, monitoring oil spills through remote sensing has real-time, comprehensive, low-cost advantages, which can effectively guide cleaning and evaluation, and reduce themarine ecological destruction resulting from oil spills. Therefore, studying the remote sensing mechanism used to monitor marine oil spills is of great significance for ecological environmental protection. This paper describes an experiment and corresponding analysis based on the above-water method, using the East China Sea coastal turbid water. The analysis shows that “upward short-wave” in ultraviolet and blue-purple bands and its displacement, along with the changing thickness, are important characteristics for distinguishing between the oil slick and the sea water, and also to differentiate oil slicks of different thicknesses. Fromblue to near-infrared bands, the spectrum of lube oil is flatter than that of diesel, and the diesel spectrum rises faster than the lube spectrum on the right side of the trough at 400 nm. These two features for man important basis for differentiating diesel from lube oil. These analyses will further the development of oil spill remote sensing in the East China Sea.

Variation of dissolved organic carbon transported by two Chinese rivers: The Changjiang River and Yellow River.

Real-time monitoring of riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and the associated controlling factors is essential to coastal ocean management. This study was the first to simulate the monthly DOC concentrations at the Datong Hydrometric Station for the Changjiang River and at the Lijin Hydrometric Station for the Yellow River from 2000 to 2013 using a multilayer back-propagation neural network (MBPNN), along with basin remote-sensing products and river in situ data. The average absolute error between the modeled values and in situ values was 9.98% for the Changjiang River and 10.84% for the Yellow River. As an effect of water dilution, the variations of DOC concentrations in the two rivers were significantly negatively affected by discharge, with lower values reported during the wet season. Moreover, vegetation growth status and agricultural activities, represented by the gross primary product (GPP) and cropland area percent (CropPer) in the river basin, respectively, also significantly affected the DOC concentration in the Changjiang River, but not the Yellow River. The monthly riverine DOC flux was calculated using modeled DOC concentrations. In particular, the riverine DOC fluxes were affected by discharge, with 71.06% being reported for the Changjiang River and 90.71% for the Yellow River. Over the past decade, both DOC concentration and flux in the two rivers have not shown significant changes.

Features of the physical environment associated with green tide in the southwestern Yellow Sea during spring.

Massive green tides caused by Ulva prolifera in the Yellow Sea have occurred every summer since 2007 and have caused huge economic losses for local governments. The Subei (North Jiangsu Province, China) Shoal, with its large-scale Porphyra aquaculture, has been regarded as the most important source of U. prolifera for green tides. To reveal the physical mechanisms of floating and drifting algae in this area, the characteristics of the current, the temperature, the salinity and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the southwestern Yellow Sea, especially in the Subei Shoal, were studied. The topography of the radial sand ridges in the Subei Shoal constrains the features of the currents and causes net longitudinal and latitudinal movements. The longitudinal net movement is a dominant dynamic factor that can bring U. prolifera into offshore waters. The amount of gas that is produced by algae during photosynthesis determines whether U. prolifera can float well on the sea surface after it is disposed into the water from Porphyra aquacultural apparatus. The Subei Shoal is characterized by a high turbidity, which can result in significant light attenuation and affect the photosynthesis together with the buoyancy of a U. prolifera in the water. According to satellite remote sensing data from 2012, the three-month-averaged surface SPM (April, May and June) in the Subei Shoal was 140 mg/dm3, and the north of the Subei Shoal (the north of 34.5°N), it was 11 mg/dm3. According to the monthly averaged surface SPM in April, the transparency in the Subei Shoal was only 0.1 m, but it often exceeded 2.0 m outside of the Subei Shoal. The results explain why the floating ability of U. prolifera increases significantly once the green algae drifted outside the Subei Shoal.