The fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) is a key variable in productivity and carbon cycle models. The variety of available FAPAR satellite products from different space agencies leads to the necessity of assessing the existing differences between them before using into models. Discrepancies of four FAPAR products derived from MODIS, SEVIRI and MERIS (TOAVEG and MGV...

During the spring of 2011 an unprecedented “Super” algal bloom formed in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), with Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations over eight times the historical mean in some areas and lasted for seven months across the IRL. The European Space Agency’s MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) platform provided multispectral data at 665 and 708 nm, which was used to quantif...

We propose to evaluate the calibration of MERIS (Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) over dark waters in the near infrared. We work with five months of data, from July to November 2003, over five world sites: Venice and Lampedusa in Italy, El Arenosillo in Spain, MOBY/Lanai and CalCOFI/San Nicolas in United States. The sites are all equipped with a CIMEL station that forms part of the AERON...

Exceptionally large fires were observed in Southern Siberia in 2003. Persistent cloud cover and orbit parameters did not allow observation of large areas with high resolution imagery shortly after the fires. Therefore we used a combination of high, medium and low resolution satellite imagery in which Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was used to record fire occurrence each d...

Aerosol remote sensing over land is based on the use of pixels covered by vegetation. Because of the absorption of the photosynthesis pigments, these pixels are quite dark in the blue and in the red. This consideration led to introduce the concept of DDV pixels. Initially, 11 DDV models have been selected from the POLDER 1 imagery. ARVI, atmospherically resistant vegetation index, has been used...

This work evaluates the potential for drought detection of the Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fAPAR) estimations operationally produced by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MERIS) Level 2 Land Product. MERIS fAPAR daily data were used to produce 10-day time composites. The selected study area was the Iberia Peninsula. ...

Concurrent Level-3 data products from MERIS, MODIS, and SeaWiFS between June 2003 and June 2006 for the East China Seas were compared against each other to evaluate the consistency between the sensors. The atmospheres in these regions is generally turbid, with typical aerosol optical thickness at 865 nm (tau_865) around 0.16, therefore presents a challenge to atmospheric correction. The statist...

The AVHRR compatible vegetation index derived from MERIS full resolution (FR) data is based on top of atmosphere radiances (ESA L2 data). This continuity index is developed using radiative transfer models for simulating the reflectance of the broad spectral channels of the NOAA – AVHRR and the small spectral bands of MERIS. A linear combination of MERIS channels describes each AVHRR channel. Th...

In this study, Algal Pigment Index 2 (API2) is investigated in Sagres, an area located in the Atlantic off the southwestern Iberian Peninsula. Standard results provided by the MEdium Resolution Image Spectrometer (MERIS) ocean colour sensor were compared with alternative data products, determined through a regional inversion scheme, using both MERIS and in situ remote sensing reflectances (Rrs)...