Hyperspectral Image Analysis of Coral Reefs in the Hawaiian Islands

Concern over the health of coral reef communities has greatly intensified in recent years, particularly with regard to the complex dynamics of global change. The synoptic spatial and temporal monitoring capabilities of remote sensing provide a valuable avenue for evaluating the impacts of local, regional and global change on this important natural resource. Hyperspectral imagery acquired over the Hawaiian Islands in the spring of 2000 by NASA’s Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) will be used to develop, apply and evaluate algorithms for analyzing coral reefs using remote sensing data. In order to truly leverage the synoptic capabilities of remote sensing, algorithms developed in this research will be based on fundamental scientific principals that will allow methods to be used in diverse geographic locations. Primary algorithm development will be conducted in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu due to the extensive supporting resources available for evaluating algorithm accuracy. Subsequent to the Kaneohe Bay phase of the research, the resulting analysis tools will be applied to portions of the recently established Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. Work for this project is being conducted at the Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing at the University of California, Davis in collaboration with the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii.