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Remote Sensing Satellite Data for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and West Coast
Remote Sensing Satellite Data for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and West Coast
Objectives
The objective of this project is to characterize oceanographic and climatological processes within the Olympic Coast marine ecosystem. Ultimately these data will be integrated with biological resource data to develop a robust biogeographic assessment to support the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS) management plan review. Specific goals/tasks include:
- Characterize the ocean climatology of the region based on remotely sensed satellite data;
- Synthesize information on the quantity and quality of existing bio-physical data to develop a biogeographic assessment for the region; and
- Use the results from objectives 1 & 2 to structure the development of a plan to conduct a biogeographic assessment of the site in 2007-2009.
Project Summary
CCMA's Biogeography Branch has been developing a suite of biogeographic assessments for NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries since 2001 and has completed assessments for Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Bank, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries. In FY05, NCCOS developed a plan to conduct a biogoegraphic assessment of OCNMS and initiate key components of the plan (project not currently funded). Primary data products currently being developed are the characterization of the spatial and temporal patterns of the oceanographic environment and climatology within the Pacific Northwest.
Characterization of the physical and oceanographic environment within the sanctuaries is critical to understanding the distributions and spatial and temporal patterns of habitats and animals. Remote sensing derived oceanographic data provide key information to understand the oceanographic environment. CCMA has identified several types of data where additional information, particularly longer time series, would aid in biogeographic assessments:
- Sea surface temperature (SST)
- Ocean color data, e.g. chlorophyll and turbidity
- Surface current vectors
- Oceanographic fronts
- Surface winds
Characterizing the distribution and variability of SST, chlorophyll, suspended sediments, winds, and precipitation can be important to understanding environmental conditions influencing the variability of coastal and estuarine ecosystems. Winds and precipitation are key forcing factors by which climate variability alters coastal ecosystems. Variability in SST is a reflection of circulation and climate changes that may occur on episodic, seasonal and inter-annual time scales. Similarly, chlorophyll and available light distributions change in response to seasonal to inter-annual shifts in winds, currents, and precipitation, as well as specific events such as storms. Currents, which can be captured from various platforms including satellites, drive processes such as larval transport and coastal upwelling. The variability in these factors has a direct effect on the sea life and habitats for which the sanctuaries are managed. Spatial and temporal variability over large areas is difficult to characterize from shipboard or moored measurements, but can be assessed from long-term, well-calibrated satellite data. CCMA's Coastal and Oceanographic Assessment Status and Trends (COAST) Team has developed such time series data for U.S. coastal regions, using a variety of sources. These data sets can be used to characterize oceanographic characteristics of many of the National Marine Sanctuaries. The proposed Olympic Coast Study will result in a defined process to develop the oceanographic data across all sanctuaries.
Benthic substrate composition off Washington |
Physiographic complexity off Washington |
| Image Credits: Biogeography Branch | |
Products
Current/Completed -
Reports and Publications
- report
- brochure
Future -
Reports and Publications
- Final report and atlas presenting maps and descriptions of analyses, results, and interpretation of results.
Data
- GIS products including:
- Monthly, seasonal, annual SST, ocean color, surface current, oeceanographic fronts, winds and precipitation layers.
Partners
Relevant Links
Time Frame
- Oceanographic/climatology assessment: August 2005-December 2006
- Biogeographic assessment: October 2006-December 2008
For More Information
Doug Pirhalla
1305 East West Highway
SSMC-IV, N/SCI-1
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-713-3028 x167
Related Biogeography Projects
- Biogeographic Assessment of Central and Northern California National Marine Sanctuaries:
Phase I
Phase II - Biogeographic Assessment of Stellwagen Bank NMS
- Biogeographic Assessment of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to Support Boundary Alternative Assessments
- Biogeographic Assessment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
- Biogeographic Assessment of Stellwagen Bank NMS