Remote Sensing Systems for Ocean: A Review (Part 1: Passive Systems)

• Published in: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
• Main Authors: Amani, Meisam, Ghorbanian, Arsalan, Asgarimehr, Milad, Yekkehkhany, Bahareh, Moghimi, Armin, Jin, Shuanggen, Naboureh, Amin, Mohseni, Farzane, Mahdavi, Sahel, Layegh, Nasir Farsad
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC 2022
• Subjects: Aquatic vegetation; bathymetry; coral reef; Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS); ocean chlorophyll; ocean color (OC); ocean current; ocean salinity; ocean satellite observations; oil spill; optical remote sensing (ORS); radiometers; sea ice (SI); ship detection; thermal infrared (TIR); tidal; SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURE; INHERENT OPTICAL-PROPERTIES; REFLECTED GPS SIGNALS; ATMOSPHERIC CORRECTION; COASTAL WATERS; CHLOROPHYLL-A; BOHAI SEA; IN-SITU; DIRECTIONAL SPECTRUM; MICROWAVE RADIOMETER; Engineering; Physical Geography; Remote Sensing; Imaging Science & Photographic Technology; Electrical & Electronic; Geography; Physical; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://ir.imde.ac.cn/handle/131551/56346; https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2021.3130789

Reliable, accurate, and timely information about oceans is important for many applications, including water resource management, hydrological cycle monitoring, environmental studies, agricultural and ecosystem health applications, economy, and the overall health of the environment. In this regard, remote sensing (RS) systems offer exceptional advantages for mapping and monitoring various oceanographic parameters with acceptable temporal and spatial resolutions over the oceans and coastal areas. So far, different methods have been developed to study oceans using various RS systems. This urges the necessity of having review studies that comprehensively discuss various RS systems, including passive and active sensors, and their advantages and limitations for ocean applications. In this article, the goal is to review most RS systems and approaches that have been worked on marine applications. This review paper is divided into two parts. Part 1 is dedicated to the passive RS systems for ocean studies. As such, four primary passive systems, including optical, thermal infrared radiometers, microwave radiometers, and Global Navigation Satellite Systems, are comprehensively discussed. Additionally, this article summarizes the main passive RS sensors and satellites, which have been utilized for different oceanographic applications. Finally, various oceanographic parameters, which can be retrieved from the data acquired by passive RS systems, along with the corresponding methods, are discussed.