VIIRS Satellite Remote Sensing of Ocean Color, October-December 2015, Gulf of Mexico

The spatial extent of surface bio-optical properties (chlorophyll-a, backscattering, absorption, light attenuation, etc.) can be determined from changes in satellite-detected water leaving radiance (Lw), enabling a synoptic, albeit two-dimensional view of various ocean parameters on a global basis. This wider field of view enables a large-scale characterization of water properties in the sampling area, providing information that allows the sampling vessel to target key features, such as river filaments. We provide satellite-derived measurements from the Visual Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite. This sensor has 7 visible/near infrared moderate resolution (M)-bands (wavelengths = 410, 443, 486, 551, 671, 745, 865 nm) at a spatial resolution of 750-m. Raw calibrated radiance products were orthorectified and processed by USM to correct for atmospheric components and obtain the radiance signal emitted from the ocean (Lw). The spectral Lw is the basis for which subsequent bio-optical algorithms are calculated.