On the Application of AERONET-OC Multispectral Data to Assess Satellite-Derived Hyperspectral Rrs

The potential for applying in situ multispectral
$R_{\mathrm{ rs}}$
data from the Ocean Color component of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET-OC) to validate satellite-derived ocean color hyperspectral
$R_{\mathrm{ rs}}$
products was investigated in the 400–700 nm interval. The analysis was performed using a comprehensive dataset of simulated hyperspectral
$R_{\mathrm{ rs}}$
in combination with an algorithm designed to reconstruct hyperspectral
$R_{\mathrm{ rs}}$
from multispectral ones. Results were assessed using in situ hyperspectral
$R_{\mathrm{ rs}}$
representative of diverse water types. Excluding waters dominated by a high concentration of colored dissolved organic matter, results indicate the capability of determining hyperspectral
$R_{\mathrm{ rs}}$
from AERONET-OC multispectral data with mean relative and absolute uncertainties generally lower than 2% and
$5 \times 10^{-5} \text { sr}^{-1}$
, respectively, at a number of the key center-wavelengths of the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) onboard the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) spacecraft.