Synergistic exploitation of hyper- and multi-spectral precursor sentinel measurements to determine phytoplankton functional types (SynSenPFT)

• Published in: Frontiers in Marine Science
• Main Authors: Losa, SN, Soppa, MA, Dinter, T, Wolanin, A, Brewin, RJW, Bricaud, A, Oelker, J, Peeken, I, Gentili, B, Rozanov, V, Bracher, A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media 2017
• Subjects: synergistic; Sentinel; satellite retrievals; phytoplankton functional type; Antarktis*; Climate change; Phytoplankton
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/38250; https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00203

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record. The corrigendum to this article is in ORE at http://hdl.handle.net/10871/38256 We derive the chlorophyll a concentration (Chla) for three main phytoplankton functional types (PFTs) - diatoms, coccolithophores and cyanobacteria - by combining satellite multispectral-based information, being of a high spatial and temporal resolution, with retrievals based on high resolution of PFT absorption properties derived from hyperspectral satellite measurements. The multispectral-based PFT Chla retrievals are based on a revised version of the empirical OC-PFT algorithm applied to the Ocean Color Climate Change Initiative (OC-CCI) total Chla product. The PhytoDOAS analytical algorithm is used with some modifications to derive PFT Chla from SCIAMACHY hyperspectral measurements. To combine synergistically these two PFT products (OC-PFT and PhytoDOAS), an optimal interpolation is performed for each PFT in every OC-PFT sub-pixel within a PhytoDOAS pixel, given its Chla and its a priori error statistics. The synergistic product (SynSenPFT) is presented for the period of August 2002 March 2012 and evaluated against PFT Chla data obtained from in situ marker pigment data and the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model simulations and satellite information on phytoplankton size. The most challenging aspects of the SynSenPFT algorithm implementation are discussed. Perspectives on SynSenPFT product improvements and prolongation of the time series over the next decades by adaptation to Sentinel multi- and hyperspectral instruments are highlighted. ESA SEOM SY-4Sci Synergy project SFB/TR 172 (AC)3 “Arctic Amplification” subproject C03 DFG-Priority Program SPP 1158 “Antarktis” PhySyn BU2913/3-1 Helmholtz Climate Initiative REKLIM Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HGF)