• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2000

Since being launched for ocean observing in 1997, the SeaWiFS sensor has supplied data on ocean chlorophyll distribution and environmental conditions of the atmosphere. Until now, a lot of SeaWiFS data have been archived and utilized for ocean monitoring and land observation. The SeaWiFS sensor has 1km spatial resolution, therefore, it is difficult to obtain data at the coastal zone. Since atmospheric correction algorithms at the coastal area have not been confirmed for chlorophyll algorithm, the ocean color data analysis for coastal zone is not common. In particular, domestic coastal areas have high suspended sediments concentrations and higher absorption influence of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), released from in-land, than open-sea. Thus, a useful algorithm for analysis of chlorophyll distribution in domestic coastal areas has not been developed. In this study, empirical algorithms, using data from the ocean color sensor, were developed for monitoring of chlorophyll distribution of coastal areas. In the process of the development of the algorithms, we can find that the red band (665nm) should be used for analyzing of domestic coastal areas near the Yellow Sea.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.2
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• pp.816-819
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• 2006

One of the most difficult parameters to measure in the sea is current speed and direction. Recently, efforts are being made to estimate the ocean current vectors by utilizing sequential satellite imageries. In this study, we attempted to estimated sea surface current vector (sscv) by using satellite ocean color imageries of SeaWifs around the Korean Peninsula. This ocean color image data has 1-day sampling interval and spatial resolution of 1x1 km. Maximum cross-correlation method is employed which is aimed to detect similar patterns between sequential images. The estimated current vectors are compared to the surface geostrophic current vectors obtained from altimeter of sea level height data. In utilizing the color imagery data, some limitations and drawbacks exist so that in warm water region where phytoplankton concentration is relatively lower than in cold water region, estimation of sscv is poor and unreliable. On the other hand, two current vector fields agree reasonably well in the Korean South Sea region where high concentration of chlorophyll-a and weak tide is observed. In the future, with ocean color images of shorter sampling interval by COMS satellite, the algorithm and methodology developed in the study would be useful in providing the information for the ocean current around Korean Peninsula.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.445-449
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• 2005

Various methods to detect the phytoplankton/red tide blooms in the oceanic waters have been developed and tested on satellite ocean color imagery since the last two and half decades, but accurate detection of blooms with these methods remains challenging in optically complex turbid waters, mainly because of the eventual interference of absorbing and scattering properties of dissolved organic and particulate inorganic matters with these methods. The present study introduces a new method called Red tide Index (Rl), providing indices which behave as a good measure of detecting red tide algal blooms in high scattering and absorbing waters of the Korean South Sea and Yellow Sea. The effectiveness of this method in identifying and locating red tides is compared with the standard Ocean Chlorophyll 4 (OC4) bio-optical algorithm applied to SeaWiFS ocean imagery, acquired during two bloom episodes on 27 March 2002 and 28 September 2003. The result revealed that OC4 bio-optical algorithm falsely identifies red tide blooms in areas abundance in colored dissolved organic and particulate inorganic matter constituents associated with coastal areas, estuaries and river mouths, whereas red tide index provides improved capability of detecting, predicting and monitoring of these blooms in both clear and turbid waters.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.366-375
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• 1998

Optical characteristics of the yellow sand and their influences on the ocean color remote sensing has been studied using ocean color sensor SeaWiFS measurements. Two cases of April 18 and April 25, 1998, representing yellow sand and background aerosol, are selected for emphasizing the impact of high aerosol concentration on the ocean color remote sensing. It was shown that NASA's standard atmospheric correction algorithm treats yellow sand area as either too high radiance or cloud area, in which ocean color information is not generated. Optical thickness of yellow sand arrived over the East Asian sea waters in April 18 indicates that there are two groups loaded with relatively homogeneous yellow sand, i.e.: heavy yellow sand area with optical thickness peak around 0.8 and mild area with about 0.4, which are consistent with ground observations. The movement of the yellow sand area obtained from surface weather maps and backward trajectory analysis manifest the notion that the weak yellow sand area was originated from the outer region of the dust storm. It is also noted that high optical thickness associated with the yellow sand is significantly different from what we may observe from background aerosol, which is about 0.2. These characteristics allow us to determine the yellow sand area with an aid of atmospheric correction parameter. Results indicate that the yellow sand area can be determined by applying the features revealed in scattergrams of atmospheric correction parameter and optical thickness.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 1999

A recurring eddy which located at the terminal end of the Korean East Warm Current was captured on ocean color and sea surface temperature imagery from satellite in spring and autumn. During late April, 1997 thermal infrared imagery from the NOAA AVHRR sensor and ocean color data from the Japanese ADEOS-I OCTS sensor, revealed this feature. The cold core had elevated chlorophyll concentrations, based on OCTS estimates, of greater than 3 mg/m$^3$ while the warmer surrounding waters had chlorophyll concentrations of 1 mg/m$^3$ or less. The elevated cholophyll accociated with this eddy has not been previously described. The eddy is also evident in SST images from autumn, but the SST in the core is warmer than in spring, and the warm jet flowing to the west of the eddy is also warmer is autumn compared to spring. A reccurring eddy and the high chlorophyll_a concentration area which surround around the eddy show on NOAA and SeaWiFS images in March 2, 1998. The eddy forms at the northern extent of the Korean East Warm Current as those waters collide with the cold, south-flowing Liman Current over a topographic shelf about 1500 m deep. This region of the eddy formation appears to have a strong connection with the dynamics of the western part of the polar front eddy field that dominates surface mesoscale structure in the central East (Japan) Sea. Interaction of the eddy with ARGOW tracked drifters, and evidence for its persistence are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.227-238
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• 1999

In advance of launch, simulated radiances of the Ocean Scanning Multispectral Imager (OSMI) will be very useful to guess the real imagery of OSMI and to prepare for data processing of OSMI. The data processing system for OSMI which is one of sensors aboard Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite (KOMPSAT) scheduled for launch in 1999 is developed based on the SeaWiFS Data Analysis System (SeaDAS). Simulation of radiances requires information on the spectral band, orbital and scanning characteristics of the OSMI and KOMPSAT spacecraft. This paper also describes a method to create simulated radiances of the OSMI over the oceans. Our method for constructing a simulated OSMI imagery is to propagate a KOMPSAT orbit over a field of Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) pigment concentrations and to use the values and atmospheric components for calculation of total radiances. A modified Brouwer-Lyddane model with drag was used for the realistic orbit prediction, the CZCS pigment concentrations were used to compute water-leaving radiances, and a variety of radiative transfer models were used to calculate atmospheric contributions to total radiances detected by OSMI. Imagery of the simulated OSMI radiances for 412, 443, 490, 555, 765, 865nm was obtained. As expected, water-leaving radiances were only a small fraction (below 10%) of total radiances and sun glint contaminations were observed near the solar declination. Therefore, atmospheric correction is critical in the calculation of pigment concentration from total radiances. Because the imagery near the sun's glitter pattern is virtually useless and must be discarded, more advanced data collection planning will be required to succeed in the mission of OSMI which is consistent monitoring of global oceans during three year mission lifetime.