IUPAC

The objectives of this project are, to record the state of the art in remote sensing techniques and methods used for marine environment monitoring, to review remote sensing applications in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea region and to assess the potential combination of remote sensing data with in situ and laboratory monitoring.

Remote sensing techniques have been utilised since 1961 with various types of sensors and applications in environmental and military purposes. Soon enough the methodologies begun to include the monitoring of marine biogeochemical parameters. Remotely sensed airborne or satellite data can provide the necessary spatial perspective to collect information about the sea surface characteristics and water quality on a regional scale. Water quality parameters of interest nowadays include ocean colour and chlorophyll concentration, detection of algal blooms and oil spills and estimation of total suspended solids.

Optical and multispectral sensors using advanced algorithms optimise target reflectance and support quantitative measurements of the above mentioned parameters with relatively coarse (500-1200m) resolution and wide fields of view. Hyperspectral data (collected in many and narrow ranges of the visible and infrared wavelengths) allow for greater precision in characterizing target spectral signatures. Monthly and seasonal imaging provides the data necessary for modelling. SAR data can provide additional information on current, wave and mesoscale features so as to observe trends over time when optical data are not available due to periods of cloud cover.

However these applications have not been able to lessen the efforts undertaken by marine scientists during in situ monitoring campaigns, because the above mentioned parameters are only a small fraction of those studied in the marine environment and because of their limitation to surface waters.