SeaWiFS and MODIS-observed multi-year seasonal and spatial dynamics in biotic and abiotic processes in Lake Michigan as obtained from a new water quality retrieval algorithm

Seven years of SeaWiFS and three years of MODIS observation data were used to obtain seasonal and interannual time histories of the major water color producing agents (CPAs), phytoplankton chlorophyll (chl), dissolved organic carbon (doc) and suspended minerals (sm) for Lake Michigan. Correlations of the retrieved CPAs with the coincident environmental observations are established. Episodic events of sediment resuspension and calcium carbonate precipitation out of the water are remotely sensed. Compared are the established time history between the CPAs spatial and temporal distributions throughout the lake from shipborne observations. The obtained results are then used to speculate on the future of Lake Michigan under climate change conditions.