Optical properties of the ocean and coastal waters in the southwest coast of Portugal using satellite ocean colour remote sensing data

  1. Vitorino Cristina, Sónia Cláudia
Dirigida por:
  1. Tomás Angel del Valls Casillas Director
  2. Alice Newton Director/a
  3. Samantha Lavender Director/a

Universidad de defensa: Universidad de Cádiz

Fecha de defensa: 25 de abril de 2016

Tribunal:
  1. Javier R. Viguri Fuente Presidente/a
  2. Roberta Guerra Secretario/a
  3. Alfredo Izquierdo González Vocal
Departamento:
  1. Química Física

Tipo: Tesis

Teseo: 413599 DIALNET

Resumen

The use of satellite remote sensing measurement of ocean colour provides a cost-effective manner to monitor synoptically and assess extensive oceanic and coastal areas. Remote sensing of ocean colour (RSOC) is based on measurements of light signals that leave the water surface and reach an ocean colour sensor aboard a satellite. The products acquired by RSOC can provide useful information on coastal and oceanic waters, as these marine systems become increasingly under pressure from environmental change and due to the activities of economic sectors. The hypothesis in this study is that the ocean colour products acquired by the MERIS sensor are adequate to monitor and assess the variability of the optical properties of the ocean and coastal waters near Sagres, in the southwest coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This thesis is structured in four Chapters. Chapter 1 encompasses an introduction to remote sensing of ocean colour, describing the bio-optical properties of the water column and state-of-the-art. Chapters 2 and 3 are the most relevant chapters of the thesis. Chapters 2 focus on the validation of the MERIS water leaving reflectance (w ()) and the MERIS standard algorithm for the total concentration of chlorophyll a (TChla) with the equivalent in situ measurements, and on the application of a regional algorithm to retrieve TChla in the study area. Chapter 3 focuses on the use of the MERIS API 1 product for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and addresses the temporal variability of the dynamic features in the MERIS products, through the decomposition of monthly MERIS time series. In the final chapter - Chapter 4 - the overall conclusions are presented, including the contributions to scientific progress and to marine and coastal management, as well as the management recommendations. The hypothesis was tested in Chapter 2 and 3 and, through these, the main objectives were achieved, and all the research questions were answered, giving an important contribution for the ocean colour scientific community as well for the marine and coastal managers. This thesis shows the importance and the benefits of using remote sensing data for monitoring and management of this study area.