Comparisons of optical properties of the coastal ocean derived from satellite ocean color and in situ measurements

Satellite-derived optical properties are compared to in situ mooring and ship-based measurements at a coastal site. Comparisons include remote sensing reflectance (R(rs)), chlorophyll concentration (Chl) using two different Chl algorithms, and spectral absorption [a(pg)(lambda)] and backscattering coefficients [b(b)(555)] using three different bio-optical algorithms. For mooring/shipboard comparisons, we observed mean relative errors of 70.5%/-3.8% (SeaWiFS OC4v4), -21.4%/-49.3% (SeaWiFS Stumpf), 109.5%/13.4% (MODIS OC3m) and 0.5%/-48.9% (MODIS Stumpf) for Chl. For satellite-derived and mooring comparisons of a(pg)(412), we found mean relative errors of -69.4% (-67.1%), -52.6% (- 48.9%), and -62.7% (-65.4%) for the Arnone, GSM, and QAA algorithms for SeaWiFS (MODIS), respectively. Mean relative errors of 21.3%, 19.9%, and 16.5% were found between SeaWiFS-derived (Arnone, GSM, and QAA algorithms, respectively) and moored b(b)(555) measurements. Discrepancies in Rrs at blue wavelengths are attributed to the satellite atmospheric correction and sea surface variations of the moored radiometers. High spatial and temporal variability of bio-optical properties coupled with differences in measurement techniques (pixel versus point) contribute to inconsistencies between remotely sensed and in situ biooptical properties.