Estimating suspended sediment concentrations in turbid coastal waters of the Santa Barbara Channel with SeaWiFS

J.A. Warrick; L.A.K. Mertes; D.A. Siegel; C. Mackenzie

doi:10.1080/01431160310001619535

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Estimating suspended sediment concentrations in turbid coastal waters of the Santa Barbara Channel with SeaWiFS

J.A. Warrick·L.A.K. Mertes·D.A. Siegel·C. Mackenzie

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Abstract

A technique is presented for estimating suspended sediment concentrations of turbid coastal waters with remotely sensed multi-spectral data. The method improves upon many standard techniques, since it incorporates analyses of multiple wavelength bands (four for Sea-viewing Wide Field of view Sensor (SeaWiFS)) and a nonlinear calibration, which produce highly accurate results (expected errors are approximately ±10%). Further, potential errors produced by erroneous atmospheric calibration in excessively turbid waters and influences of dissolved organic materials, chlorophyll pigments and atmospheric aerosols are limited by a dark pixel subtraction and removal of the violet to blue wavelength bands. Results are presented for the Santa Barbara Channel, California where suspended sediment concentrations ranged from 0–200+ mg l −1 (±20 mg l −1 ) immediately after large river runoff events. The largest plumes were observed 10–30 km off the coast and occurred immediately following large El Niño winter floods.

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International Journal of Remote Sensing Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 34.094231° to 34.389398° latitude; -120.146119° to -119.633881° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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J.A. Warrick, L.A.K. Mertes, D.A. Siegel, C. Mackenzie. 2010-06-02. Estimating suspended sediment concentrations in turbid coastal waters of the Santa Barbara Channel with SeaWiFS. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431160310001619535

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