Interpretation of satellite remote sensing data in the Baltic sea with special respect to Harmful Algae Bloom events

Satellite ocean colour remote sensing is an effective tool for monitoring the environmental state of coastal zones and open oceans. Cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea and other Harmful Algal Blooms represent extreme events in aquatic ecosystems for which specially adapted ocean colour interpretation algorithms are needed. Here, an algorithm, developed for the Baltic Sea waters, derives information from MERIS satellite data on chlorophyll-like pigments, suspended particulates and dissolved organic matters. The presentation comprises demonstrations and intercomparisons of a local Baltic Sea algorithm and a global MERIS interpretation algorithm for the summer bloom events 2003.