Remote sensing of coastal ecosystems

Advances in sensor design and data analysis techniques are now making remote sensing systems practical and attractive for coastal ecosystem research and management. Multispectral and hyperspectral imagers are available for mapping coastal land cover and concentrations of organic/inorganic suspended particles and dissolved substances in coastal waters. Thermal infrared scanners can map sea surface temperatures accurately and chart coastal currents, while microwave radiometers can measure ocean salinity, soil moisture and other hydrologic parameters. Radar imagers, scatterometers and altimeters provide information on ocean waves, ocean winds, sea surface height and coastal currents. Using airborne LIDARs one can produce bathymetric maps, even in moderately turbid coastal waters. Since coastal ecosystems have high spatial complexity and temporal variability, they frequently have to be observed from both, satellite and aircraft , in order to obtain the required spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions. A reliable field data collection approach using ships, buoys, and field instruments with a valid sampling scheme is required to calibrate and validate the remotely sensed information. This paper presents a brief overview of recent advances in coastal remote sensing.