Water turbidity produced by resuspension events have a potentially significant impact on water quality and various bottom communities in Florida Bay. We are using satellite imagery in conjunction with field observations to describe the frequency and extent of turbidity events.

Several types of satellite will be examined in the course of the project. The primary source will be AVHRR data, which is available almost daily at 1 km pixel size. Landsat data, at 80 m, is available sporadically from 1973, Landsat TM at 30m from 1984; and ocean color sensors, such as SeaWiFS and OCTS are anticipated for launch in 1996. Imagery will be processed to water reflectance by correcting for atmospheric affects and sun angle, and removing bottom albedo. Field observations will be used to establish diffuse attenuation and total suspended solids.

At present, AVHRR imagery is being evaluated, about 400 suitable scenes (of over 1800 data sets) are in hand and processed for aerosols and sun angle from December 1989 to the present. The AVHRR data sets have also been processed for sea surface temperature.

Meteorological observations from NOAA CMAN stations are also being examined with the imagery. The impact of the cold fronts on water clarity is evident in the Bay. Recent imagery is being made available in preliminary form on the Internet for use in Florida Bay studies. The effort over the next year will be establishing light attenuation coefficients from the satellite imagery and incorporation of Landsat data to look at some early time periods.

(This abstract was taken from the Florida Bay Science Conference Proceedings, 1995)

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