Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) pose a threat to environmental and public health by producing toxins and consuming oxygen. Algal blooms have unique spectral signatures which enable detection by satellite remote sensing. Federal agencies seek a mechanism to identify anomalous algal blooms world-wide that may impact fisheries and other water resources. This information is important when blooms are the result of natural disasters for it may allow agencies to better plan their responses.
This activity is currently in pre-formulation and will include implementing an automated algal bloom hotspot product based on satellite data from multiple ocean color platforms and instruments (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-Aqua, Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP), Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1,2, Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI)-Sentinel, and Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE); commercial systems could be considered).
The product will be based on a merged chlorophyll product for coastal waters and large lakes. The monitoring will focus on regions distributed globally that are vulnerable to harmful algal blooms – i.e. monitoring of hotspots instead of global wall-to-wall monitoring. The Hotspot Product will build on the current NASA Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) effort, which monitors algal blooms in lakes across the contiguous United States (CONUS) and Alaska.
| Thematic Areas |
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| Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems, Disaster Response, Water and Energy Cycle |
HABs are a direct threat to environmental and public health. Mitigation and avoidance require information on the location and extent of algal blooms at high temporal resolution. Such monitoring is possible due to the unique spectral signatures of algal blooms which can be measured by satellite remote sensing. This activity will show the presence of algal blooms in regions distributed globally that are vulnerable to harmful algal blooms.