HR: 0800h
AN: OS31A-1436    [Abstracts]
TI: Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Algal Blooms in the Lower Great Lakes
AU: * Becker, R
EM: richard.becker@wmich.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W. Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 United States
AU: Sultan, M
EM: mohamed.sultan@wmich.edu
AF: Department of Geosciences, Western Michigan University, 1903 W. Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 United States
AU: Boyer, G L
EM: glboyer@esf.edu
AF: Faculty of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 United States
AU: Atkinson, J F
EM: atkinson@eng.buffalo.edu
AF: Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering, SUNY Buffalo, 202 Jarvis Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260 United States
AU: Konopko, E
EM: eakonopko@syr.edu
AF: Faculty of Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210 United States
AB: As part of the MERHAB (Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms) project, we are exploring the utility of chlorophyll extraction techniques to map the spatial and temporal distribution of algal blooms in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. We have processed over 250 images (SeaWiFS and MODIS) acquired in the summers of 2003, 2004, and 2005 over the investigated lakes. Images were processed in SeaDas 4.8 using the Carder semi-analytical algorithm for chlorophyll-a (Carder et. al. 2003), as well as with the OC4 (SeaWiFS) and OC3 (MODIS) algorithms for chlorophyll-a. Results were compared with in-situ chlorophyll-a measurements acquired largely from mooring stations, buoys, and from cruise measurements that were acquired during the summers of 2004 and 2005. Examination of these temporal chlorophyll-a images showed an annual re-occurrence (same location and time) of chlorophyll distribution patterns as well as unique algal bloom events in Lakes Erie and Ontario. Comparisons to in situ measurements indicated that the Carder semi-analytical algorithm applied to SeaWiFS and MODIS data provided good correspondence between satellite-based chlorophyll-a concentrations and in-situ chlorophyll measurements and significantly better correlation with the in-situ measurements than the OC3 and OC4 protocols. One of the primary goals of the MERHAB project is to discriminate between potentially harmful and non-harmful algal blooms In the Great Lakes. We are currently refining our algorithms (mixing models) to allow the identification of potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms from Sea-WiFS satellite data, based on spectral characteristics of their phycocyanin pigment. Preliminary outputs of our mixing models indicate a general correspondence between satellite derived phycocyanin distribution and relative abundance of phycocyanin from in-situ fluorescence measurements (July 13-16, 2004).
DE: 0430 Computational methods and data processing
DE: 0496 Water quality
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005