Testing Level 2 ocean products of the ESA Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS)

The Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) onboard Envisat is planned for launch in early 2000 providing a European remote sensing capability for observing oceanic biology and marine water quality through observations of water colour. In addition MERIS spectral data will be used to retrieve atmospheric parameters associated with clouds, water vapour and aerosols in addition to land surface parameters, in particular vegetation processes. The spectral characteristics of the instrument and the associated geophysical parameters. In advance of the launch of MERIS, algorithms are being developed for the interpretation of MERIS observations and dedicated studies are ongoing to establish the means of validating the data products. This presentation analyses ocean products of MERIS which are obtained with a prototype version of the envisaged Level 2 processor. The biopotical parameters to be retrieved for the spectral information of MERIS are: 1) the measurement of photosynthetic potential by detection of phytoplankton (algae); 2) the detection of yellow substance (dissolved organic material); 3) the detection of suspended matter (re-suspended or river borne sediments). External data from the SeaWiFS and MOS instruments and some in-situ measurements are used to get a preliminary assessment for the quality of these ocean products.