Spectral Variations in Airborne Observations of Marine Primary Productivity

Abstract

Multispectral differentiation and quantification of terrestrial and marine phenomena have become effective and popular methods of scientific observation. Measuring Normalized Difference Color Index (NDVI) to observe vegetation health and finding patters in ocean color using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite are only the tip of the iceberg in what can be accomplished using multispectral analysis. However, the gap in current analysis capabilities lies in data resolution in observation of marine phenomena. Currently, data products can report resolutions as fine as 1km, though this is still too course to observe phenomena such as primary productivity in estuarine or fjord environments. The instrument detailed in the following design and built experiment seeks to increase the resolution of current multispectral analysis capabilities for applications in observing primary productivity in estuarine environments. This study focused on algae blooms in the Puget Sound fjord-like estuary in the Pacific Northwest United States, and data from in-situ sampling of 3 different aerial transect sites suggests that differentiation of primary producers and blooms is possible using this instrument in the future, given ample resources and time for sampling.