WATER COLOR DATA ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR COASTAL ZONE MONITORING

Satellite Earth Observation plays a fundamental role within the context of integrated monitoring of coastal and marine waters, providing quantitative estimates of oceanographic and bio-geophysical parameters. Water quality parameters estimated from satellite optical multispectral imaging allow to identify spatial variability of bio-geophysical variables, like near-surface concentrations of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Total Suspended Matter (TSM), which is higher in coastal areas due to riverine freshwater input, sediment resuspension processes, human activities, thermal conditions and fine scale circulation patterns. This research study presents a data analysis system that integrates processing chains to regionally calibrate retrieval algorithms for the estimation of seawater bio-geophysical parameters from various optical multispectral satellite data, and to analyze satellite time series in order to extract meaningful information and maps. A test case for central Adriatic coastal zone has been realized in order to demonstrate the operational capability for monitoring water quality, and depending on this, the nutrient availability and the sanitary status of the farmed species in aquaculture sites. In situ data, acquired within a monitoring sampling plan that ARTA Abruzzo carried out along the central Adriatic coast, have been used to calibrate retrieval algorithms, exploited to produce time series maps of Chl-a and turbidity. Results show performances of calibrated algorithms and the data system suitability to contribute to the production of monitoring maps and indicators, informing domain specific decision making and supporting services for integrated coastal zone management.