A Multi-Sensor Approach to Examining the Distribution of Total Suspended Matter (TSM) in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System, NC, USA

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For many coastal waters, total suspended matter (TSM) plays a major role in key biological, chemical and geological processes. Effective mapping and monitoring technologies for TSM are therefore needed to support research investigations and environmental assessment and management efforts. Although several investigators have demonstrated that TSM or suspended sediments can be successfully mapped using MODIS 250 m data for relatively large water bodies, MODIS 250 m data is of more limited use for smaller estuaries and bays or aquatic systems with complex shoreline geometry. To adequately examine TSM in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES) of North Carolina, the large-scale synoptic view of MODIS and the higher spatial resolution of other sensors are required. MODIS, Landsat 7 ETM+ and FORMOSAT-2 remote sensing instrument (RSI) data were collected on 8 November, 24 November and 10 December, 2010. Using TSM images (mg/L) derived from MODIS 250 m band 1 (620–670 nm) data, Landsat 7 ETM+ 30 m band 3 (630–690 nm) and FORMOSAT-2 RSI 8 m band 3 (630−690 nm) atmospherically corrected images were calibrated to TSM for select areas of the APES. There was a significant linear relationship between both Landsat 7 ETM+ (r2 = 0.87, n = 599, P < 0.001) and FORMOSAT-2 RSI (r2 = 0.95, n = 583, P < 0.001) reflectance images and MODIS-derived TSM concentrations, thus providing consistent estimates of TSM at 250, 30 and 8 m pixel resolutions. This multi-sensor approach will support a broad range of investigations on the water quality of the APES and help guide sampling schemes of future field campaigns.