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Integrating In Situ Measurements and Satellite Imagery for Coastal Physical and Biological Analysis in the Cape Fear Coastal Region.

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Title: Integrating In Situ Measurements and Satellite Imagery for Coastal Physical and Biological Analysis in the Cape Fear Coastal Region.
Authors: Torkelson, Mitchell1,2 (AUTHOR), Bresnahan, Philip J.1,2 (AUTHOR) bresnahanp@uncw.edu, Rivero-Calle, Sara3 (AUTHOR), Masud-Ul-Alam, Md3,4 (AUTHOR), Brewin, Robert J. W.1,4 (AUTHOR), Wells, David2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Remote Sensing. May2026, Vol. 18 Issue 10, p1524. 19p.
Subjects: Remote-sensing images, Environmental sampling, Plumes (Fluid dynamics), Phytoplankton, Coastal mapping, Capes (Coasts), Water depth, Ocean color
Geographic Terms: Wilmington (N.C.), United States, North Carolina
Abstract: Highlights: What are the main findings? Transects from shipboard tow-yo profiles and satellite imagery are used to characterize a small plume at the mouth of a coastal inlet. The plume and shipboard sampling were in shallow (<10 m) and relatively clear waters, such that satellite imagery may be contaminated by benthic reflectance. What are the implications of the main findings? Cloud cover during in situ sampling prevented contemporaneous matchup analysis, but a comparison of multiple satellite and in situ datasets elucidates discoveries enabled by various sensors. Matchups across multiple satellite and in situ datasets are poor in this region, suggesting the need for continued in situ sampling close to shore where ocean color remote sensing is known to suffer from challenges including land adjacency, bottom reflectance, and optical complexity. Monitoring coastal and estuarine dynamics is crucial for understanding coupled physical, biogeochemical, and human impacts on coastal waters. Motivated by the availability of high spatial resolution ocean color data from the proof-of-concept SeaHawk-HawkEye ocean color CubeSat, this study assesses the capabilities and limitations of satellite remote sensing in capturing shallow water (<10 m) coastal dynamics by integrating in situ measurements with satellite imagery. A Sea Sciences Acrobat collected detailed transects at the mouth of Masonboro Inlet (Wilmington, NC, USA), with "tow-yo" style profiles from the surface to 10 m. It measured conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD), chlorophyll a (Chl a), turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. Satellite data from SeaHawk-HawkEye, Aqua-MODIS, and Sentinel 3A/3B-OLCI provided extensive spatial coverage, revealing surface-level physical/biological interactions, but were only available 48 h after in situ sampling due to cloud cover during field sampling. Tow-yo profiles elucidated a three-dimensional phytoplankton plume, the spatial extent of which we further characterize with satellite imagery, demonstrating the value of integrating in situ and satellite data. A spatial matchup comparison between data from each satellite and the in situ sensor package revealed significant discrepancies across all satellite sensors analyzed, attributed to differences in sensor resolution, atmospheric correction approaches, and proximity to land/benthos. This study emphasizes key challenges with study design and data interpretation in dynamic nearshore environments. In particular, results suggest that meaningful comparisons of satellite vs. in situ observations in such systems require near-synchronous sampling, careful consideration of spatial scale, and improved characterization of optical complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Integrating In Situ Measurements and Satellite Imagery for Coastal Physical and Biological Analysis in the Cape Fear Coastal Region.
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;JN&quot; term=&quot;%22Remote+Sensing%22&quot;&gt;Remote Sensing&lt;/searchLink&gt;. May2026, Vol. 18 Issue 10, p1524. 19p.
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  Data: Highlights: What are the main findings? Transects from shipboard tow-yo profiles and satellite imagery are used to characterize a small plume at the mouth of a coastal inlet. The plume and shipboard sampling were in shallow (&lt;10 m) and relatively clear waters, such that satellite imagery may be contaminated by benthic reflectance. What are the implications of the main findings? Cloud cover during in situ sampling prevented contemporaneous matchup analysis, but a comparison of multiple satellite and in situ datasets elucidates discoveries enabled by various sensors. Matchups across multiple satellite and in situ datasets are poor in this region, suggesting the need for continued in situ sampling close to shore where ocean color remote sensing is known to suffer from challenges including land adjacency, bottom reflectance, and optical complexity. Monitoring coastal and estuarine dynamics is crucial for understanding coupled physical, biogeochemical, and human impacts on coastal waters. Motivated by the availability of high spatial resolution ocean color data from the proof-of-concept SeaHawk-HawkEye ocean color CubeSat, this study assesses the capabilities and limitations of satellite remote sensing in capturing shallow water (&lt;10 m) coastal dynamics by integrating in situ measurements with satellite imagery. A Sea Sciences Acrobat collected detailed transects at the mouth of Masonboro Inlet (Wilmington, NC, USA), with &quot;tow-yo&quot; style profiles from the surface to 10 m. It measured conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD), chlorophyll a (Chl a), turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. Satellite data from SeaHawk-HawkEye, Aqua-MODIS, and Sentinel 3A/3B-OLCI provided extensive spatial coverage, revealing surface-level physical/biological interactions, but were only available 48 h after in situ sampling due to cloud cover during field sampling. Tow-yo profiles elucidated a three-dimensional phytoplankton plume, the spatial extent of which we further characterize with satellite imagery, demonstrating the value of integrating in situ and satellite data. A spatial matchup comparison between data from each satellite and the in situ sensor package revealed significant discrepancies across all satellite sensors analyzed, attributed to differences in sensor resolution, atmospheric correction approaches, and proximity to land/benthos. This study emphasizes key challenges with study design and data interpretation in dynamic nearshore environments. In particular, results suggest that meaningful comparisons of satellite vs. in situ observations in such systems require near-synchronous sampling, careful consideration of spatial scale, and improved characterization of optical complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3390/rs18101524
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 1524
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Remote-sensing images
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental sampling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Plumes (Fluid dynamics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phytoplankton
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Coastal mapping
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Capes (Coasts)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Water depth
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ocean color
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      – SubjectFull: Wilmington (N.C.)
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      – SubjectFull: United States
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      – SubjectFull: North Carolina
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      – TitleFull: Integrating In Situ Measurements and Satellite Imagery for Coastal Physical and Biological Analysis in the Cape Fear Coastal Region.
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            NameFull: Rivero-Calle, Sara
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              M: 05
              Text: May2026
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              Y: 2026
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