Remote Sensing for Optimal Estimation of Water Temperature Dynamics in Shallow Tidal Environments

Mattia Pivato,Andrea Defina,Sonia Silvestri,Daniele Pietro Viero,Luca Carniello,Chiara Soranzo

doi:10.3390/rs12010051

Mattia Pivato, Andrea Defina + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12010051

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Abstract

Given the increasing anthropogenic pressures on lagoons, estuaries, and lakes and considering the highly dynamic behavior of these systems, methods for the continuous and spatially distributed retrieval of water quality are becoming vital for their correct monitoring and management. Water temperature is certainly one of the most important drivers that influence the overall state of coastal systems. Traditionally, lake, estuarine, and lagoon temperatures are observed through point measurements carried out during field campaigns or through a network of sensors. However, sporadic measuring campaigns or probe networks rarely attain a density sufficient for process understanding, model development/validation, or integrated assessment. Here, we develop and apply an integrated approach for water temperature monitoring in a shallow lagoon which incorporates satellite and in-situ data into a mathematical model. Specifically, we use remote sensing information to constrain large-scale patterns of water temperature and high-frequency in situ observations to provide proper time constraints. A coupled hydrodynamic circulation-heat transport model is then used to propagate the state of the system forward in time between subsequent remote sensing observations. Exploiting the satellite data high spatial resolution and the in situ measurements high temporal resolution, the model may act a physical interpolator filling the gap intrinsically characterizing the two monitoring techniques.

Highlights

Lakes, estuaries, and lagoons around the world are degrading because of increasing human pressure, due to water and sediments pollution and climate-change-related effects [1,2,3].Among the coastal tidal systems, lagoons are probably the most threatened [4,5]
ETM+ collects thermal infrared (TIR) data at 60 m spatial resolution; the first assumption we made is that the data collected by any single probe are representative of an area of at least 60 m × 60 m and, that we can directly compare it to the temperature value of the pixel containing the station
Such an assumption is supported by water temperature profiles that we recently collected in the Venice lagoon [42] and by other water temperature measurements collected in previous studies [57]

Summary

Introduction

Estuaries, and lagoons around the world are degrading because of increasing human pressure, due to water and sediments pollution and climate-change-related effects [1,2,3].Among the coastal tidal systems, lagoons are probably the most threatened [4,5]. Lagoons play a primary role in carbon cycle processes since they are characterized by rates of primary productivity comparable to that of rain forests, and they sequestrate a large amount of organic carbon in their typical morphological and biological entities such as marshes, mangroves, and seagrass meadows [7]. Beside their evident ecological importance, coastal lagoons are often the Remote Sens.

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