Potential of high-resolution hyperspectral data for identification of phytoplankton groups in inland and coastal waters

• Grant number: 24/06636-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences
• Principal Investigator: Cláudio Clemente Faria Barbosa
• Grantee: Bruno Rech
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Water quality monitoring is essential in the context of a changing world; it is also a challenging task, especially in continental and water-rich countries such as Brazil. Remote sensing techniques have been developed, applied, and improved to detect and monitor optically active constituents of the water. Chlorophyll a is a crucial parameter when it comes to nutrient pollution, as it is a proxy of phytoplankton and the trophic state of water bodies; it has long been assessed through satellite data. However, due to the increase in algal and cyanobacterial blooms worldwide, identifying the composition of phytoplankton becomes a necessity for proper preservation and management of water quality. The launch of orbital hyperspectral sensors with high spatial resolution offers a unique opportunity to investigate phytoplankton groups from space. The spatial resolution of previous hyperspectral missions precluded inland water applications; therefore, remote sensing of phytoplankton groups in inland waters represents a global scientific gap. In view of that, our proposal aims to assess the potential of data from the EnMAP and PRISMA hyperspectral missions to identify phytoplankton groups in Brazilian inland and coastal waters. We propose the assessment of Billings, Funil, and Promissão reservoirs, as well as the São Sebastião Channel, a coastal zone. The results of this project can indicate the feasibility of identifying phytoplankton groups in inland and coastal waters, as well as to support future studies focusing on the spatiotemporal dynamics of phytoplankton groups.