Detection of Pseudo-nitzschia Spp Toxic Blooms Using Meris Images on the Galician Coast

Periodic blooms of Pseudonitzschia spp. in Galician coastal areas have caused virtual collapse of ecosystems with accomp anying serious economic impacts. The aim of this work is the study of the physical environment of a coastal system correlating different bands of MERIS data with in situ chlorophyll data provided by the Marine Environment Quality Control Centre (CCMM) during a study period associated to Pseudo-nitzschia spp. toxic blooms related to coastal upwelling events (May-June 2003). This work tries to establish the foundations for the future development of algorithms for the study of the primary production and the identification of Pseudo-nitzshia spp toxic blooms in coastal waters case II making use of the great potential of the FR MERIS products, with high spatial and spectral resolution. The study is a part of the ESA project AO623, which is intended to study changing shorelines-beaches seasonally and annually, together with suspended matter discharged into coastal waters and pigments related to algae blooms.