Sensor Fusion in the Chromatic Domain: Expanding the spatiotemporal reach of the operational ocean color constellation

Jason Jolliff1, Sherwin Ladner2, Sean McCarthy3, Mark Lewis4, Adam Lawson2 and Richard L Crout5, (1)US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States, (2)Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MS, United States, (3)US Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MS, United States, (4)US Naval Research Laboratory, Ocean Sciences Division, Stennis Space Center, MS, United States, (5)Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, United States
Abstract:
The operational ocean color polar-orbiting sensors (OLCI, VIIRS, MODIS, and others) are providing reliable and increasingly frequent observations of the ocean water-leaving radiance signal, and thereby providing the basis for inversion algorithms to estimate measurable sea surface quantities. Although much effort has been expended to ensure the accuracy of these “Level-3” inversion products, here we show that a colorimetry approach to ocean reflectance data allows for effective sensor fusion between ocean color satellite radiometers and non-traditional sources of ocean color information. Examples of this approach are provided in two areas: (1) merging OLCI and VIIRS reflectance data with GOES-R meteorological (ABI sensor) satellite data to resolve very high temporal resolution true color image sequences of the coastal ocean; and (2) merging these respective ocean color sensors with nanosatellite digital image data to resolve very high spatial resolution scenes (3 meters). Whereas accurate colorimetry analysis requires a hyperspectral signal across the visible, the potential application of these techniques to forthcoming hyperspectral satellite missions is discussed.