Monitoring pelagic Sargassum in the Atlantic Ocean from space: Principles and practices
Chuanmin Hu1, Brian B Barnes1, Lin Qi2
1College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA.
Harmful Algae
|April 5, 2025
Summary
Satellite remote sensing effectively detects and quantifies pelagic Sargassum, crucial for monitoring the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) and mitigating its coastal impacts.
Area of Science:
- Marine ecology
- Remote sensing science
- Oceanography
Background:
- Pelagic Sargassum is a vital marine habitat, abundant in the Sargasso Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean.
- Recurrent annual blooms of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) since 2011 have necessitated advanced monitoring.
- Harmful impacts of Sargassum on coastal environments drive the need for accurate detection and quantification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review principles and practices of satellite remote sensing for mapping, quantifying, and monitoring pelagic Sargassum.
- To define data products for detecting, discriminating, and quantifying Sargassum.
- To present current algorithms and approaches using satellite data.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing medium-resolution satellite data and recently developed algorithms.
- Developing and applying detection and quantification methods for pelagic Sargassum.
- Establishing a near real-time monitoring system for the GASB.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the spatial distribution patterns and temporal changes of the GASB.
- Successfully implemented a near real-time monitoring system for Sargassum in the GASB.
- Defined four types of data products to meet diverse monitoring needs.
Conclusions:
- Satellite remote sensing is a viable tool for monitoring pelagic Sargassum, including the GASB.
- Current technologies show promise but have gaps that require further research.
- Future work should focus on addressing technological limitations for improved Sargassum monitoring.
Keywords:
BiomassCoverageDeep learningDoveGLIMRMODISMSIMachine learningOCIOLCIOLIOcean colorPACERemote sensingSBGSargassumSentinel-1Sentinel-2SuperDoveVIIRSMore Related Videos
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