SeaWiFS and MERIS: a comparison of their performance for the estimation of optically active components in ocean water

SeaWiFS and MERIS capabilities for the estimation of optically active components in ocean waters are analysed by means of a semi-theoretical model of ocean colour which also takes account of the chlorophyll fluorescence signal at about 685 nm. The reflectance curves simulated with the model over various types of water have been integrated over the bands of the two sensors, and a regressive analysis has been used to find the algorithms for the retrieval of the three main classes of optically active components, and the corresponding correlation coefficients. The results show that the availability of SeaWiFS data will give unprecedented capabilities for the retrieval of optically active parameters from satellite imagery, especially over case 1 waters. MERIS will have the same potential in those waters; moreover, the presence of two additional channels in the red region makes this instrument very interesting also for the parameter retrieval over case 2 waters