Using ocean colour remote sensing products to estimate turbidity at the Wadden Sea time series station Spiekeroog

A novel approach using ocean color remote sensing products (OCPs) demonstrates strong potential for estimating turbidity in the Wadden Sea, with high accuracy and low uncertainty. The study, conducted at the Spiekeroog time series station, established empirical methods that correlate OCPs with in-situ turbidity measurements, achieving linear relationships with R² > 0.7 (p < 0.001) and mean absolute percent differences below 31%. These findings suggest OCPs could effectively monitor water quality in highly turbid coastal waters, addressing challenges like bio-fouling on submerged sensors. Additionally, the classic Forel-Ule colour Index (FUI) showed promise as a time series indicator for surface seawater changes, highlighting its utility in operational monitoring and satellite calibration efforts.

Garaba, S. P., Badewien, T. H., Braun, A., Schulz, A.-C., & Zielinski, O. (2014). Using ocean colour remote sensing products to estimate turbidity at the Wadden Sea time series station Spiekeroog. Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications, 9, 14020. https://doi.org/10.2971/jeos.2014.14020