Coral Reef Habitat Mapping Using Meris: Can Meris Detect Coral Bleaching?
نویسندگان
چکیده
RESUME In this study we have performed in situ optical characterisation of reef waters and adjacent ocean waters and substratum type and cover. Next we developed an inversion optimisation method to infer water column composition, bathymetry and per pixel unmixing of substratum type and/or cover using MERIS FR scenes. Based on sensitivity analysis of the forward optical model, MERIS is capable of discriminating bleached corals from non-bleached corals to a sufficient degree to be practical down to depths of 10 m at least. We were able to discriminate bathymetry, major classes of live coral and sediment/rubble using MERIS. Although the results are preliminary it means that MERIS FR imagery may have the capacity to map coral reefs worldwide on a twice weekly basis. This could become a precursor to a global coral bleaching mapping system.
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