Describing coral reef bleaching using very high spatial resolution satellite imagery: experimental methodology

Ziskin, Daniel; Aubrecht, Christoph; Elvidge, Chris; Tuttle, Ben; Mark Eakin, C.; Strong, Alan E.; Guild, Liane S.

doi:doi:10.1117/1.3595300

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Journal of Applied Remote Sensing / Volume 5 / Research Papers

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Describing coral reef bleaching using very high spatial resolution satellite imagery: experimental methodology

J. Appl. Remote Sens. 5, 053531 (Jun 20, 2011); http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3595300

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Abstract

References (33)

Daniel Ziskin and Ben Tuttle

University of Colorado, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, 216 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309 Daniel.Ziskin@noaa.gov

Christoph Aubrecht

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Donau-City-Strasse 1, A-1220 Vienna, Austria

Chris Elvidge

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Geophysical Data Center, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305

C. Mark Eakin and Alan E. Strong

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coral Reef Watch NOAA/E/RA31, SSMC1, 1335 East West Hwy, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Liane S. Guild

NASA Ames Research Center, Earth Sciences Division Mail Stop 242-4, Moffett Field, California 94035

This paper proposes an experimental methodology toward describing and quantifying coral reef bleaching using very high spatial resolution optical satellite imagery. Sea surface temperature-based bleaching alerts issued by NOAA's Coral Reef Watch triggered image acquisition and served as an indication for high bleaching probability. Images of suspected coral reef bleaching events and reference images of the same reefs during previous unbleached conditions were coregistered and radiometrically normalized for change detection. An experimental methodology was developed to describe the severity and extent of the bleaching. The methodology hinges on the creation of the Coral Bleaching Index (CBI), constructed from change detected in the green, blue, and red wavelength bands. Results are provided in the form of colorized difference images showing areas of observed bleaching in gold, as well as CBI images, visualizing varying bleaching intensities. Comparison of the CBI with available field validation data yielded a correlation, however additional reference data would be needed for more detailed quality assessment. This technique is seen as a step toward the routine detection and long-term monitoring of coral reef bleaching from space and serves as a proposed tool for detecting bleaching in remote areas where observers cannot be deployed.

History

Received Nov 17, 2010
Accepted May 04, 2011
Revised Mar 23, 2011
Published online Jun 20, 2011

Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3595300

Citation

Daniel Ziskin, Christoph Aubrecht, Chris Elvidge, Ben Tuttle, C. Mark Eakin, Alan E. Strong and Liane S. Guild, "Describing coral reef bleaching using very high spatial resolution satellite imagery: experimental methodology", J. Appl. Remote Sens. 5, 053531 (Jun 20, 2011); http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.3595300