Overview
Ocean color remote sensing serves as a critical methodology for monitoring global ocean carbon sinks and assessing primary productivity. However, the operational utility of this tool is impacted by challenges related to the calibration accuracy of satellite sensors once they are in orbit. Additionally, the signals originating from marine environments constitute only approximately 10% of the total signals detected by satellites, which contributes to substantial uncertainties in applications relying on ocean color remote-sensing data. A vicarious calibration model has been developed to facilitate the quantitative application of Fengyun-3 satellite ocean color data, aiming to mitigate these identified issues.
Research Context
Monitoring global ocean carbon sinks and primary productivity relies on ocean color remote sensing. The effectiveness of this monitoring is hampered by two primary factors. First, the accuracy of on-orbit calibration for satellite sensors is noted as insufficient. Second, the marine signals, which are the target of measurement, are considerably weak, comprising only about 10% of the total signals received by satellites. These factors collectively introduce significant uncertainties into ocean color remote-sensing applications, indicating a need for improved calibration methodologies to enhance data reliability.
Approach
The research involved the development and application of a vicarious calibration model. This model was specifically designed to enable the quantitative use of ocean color data acquired from Fengyun-3 satellites. The objective of implementing this model was to address the inherent limitations in on-orbit calibration accuracy and to account for the weak marine signal component, thereby improving the overall utility and precision of the satellite data for quantitative applications.
Potential Applications
The vicarious calibration model enables quantitative applications of Fengyun-3 satellite ocean color data. This enhancement in data quality supports improved monitoring of global ocean carbon sinks and primary productivity, areas where existing satellite data suffered from significant uncertainties due to calibration limitations and weak signal detection.