Ocean colour analysis is a proven tool for determining the health of ocean using oceanic biological activity through optical means. Phytoplankton pigment, chlorophyll_a, are indicators of equilibrium of CO2 concentration between atmosphere and ocean. The oceanic colour change due to chlorophyll_a provides the level of primary productivity whereas the colour change due to CDOM can be attributed to the level of pollution and higher particulate matter. The ability of optical sensor to map the spatial and temporal patterns of ocean colour over regional and global scales has provided important insights into the fundamental bio-optical properties and bio-physical processes occurring in the aquatic media. Chlorophyll, SST and PAR can be operationally scaled up to estimate primary production and estimate the fish stocks. This training focus on basics of marine optics, ocean colour remote sensing, and its applications such as mapping primary productivity, phytoplankton classes and algal blooms. 

Aims and Objectives

• To Provide an introduction to Ocean Color Remote Sensing, Marine optics, Ocean colour sensor characteristics, data, uncertainties.
• To familiarize with Ocean colour Algorithms, Chlorophyll, shallow water remote sensing, algal blooms
• Perform atmospheric correction of ocean colour observations.
• To familiarize with marine primary production and P-I experiments
• To perform phytoplankton classification using ocean colour data.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge on SeaDAS tool for processing ocean colour data.
• Handle different ocean color algorithms.
• Use of Sea DAS software and Plug-in tools for ocean data processing.
• Generate and validate ocean color remote sensing products.
• Basic understanding of ocean color applications like PP, HABs etc.

Lecturers:

• Aneesh Lotliker
• Satya Prakash
• Alakes Samanta
• Sanjiba Kumar Baliarsingh
• Nimit Kumar

Course Topics

• Fundamentals of marine optics and ocean colour remote sensing
• Introduction to ocean colour satellite data processing with SeaDAS
• Ocean Colour Algorithms - Standard and Value added products
• Marine environmental variables vis-a-vis phytoplankton
• Remote sensing of phytoplankton functional types
• Introduction to marine primary productivity and carbon cycle
• Remote sensing in operational service
• Introduction to SeaDAS: processing capability and available tools; Processing, Projection and Binning of satellite ocean colour data using GUI of SeaDAS
• Automatic processing of ocean colour satellite data using SeaDAS
• Generation of value added products using SeaDAS

Target Audience

Target audiences include, but  are not limited to, the following:

• Ocean and coastal data managers
• Staff and researchers working on ocean colour applications
• University graduates

NOTE: priority will be given to participants originating from the Indian Ocean Rim countries. UNESCO is committed to promote gender equality: applications from women are strongly encouraged.

Course Pre-requisites:

• Candidates should have a working knowledge of marine data and formats and preferably be working in institutions responsible for the management of marine data
• This training course is not an introduction to Ocean Colour: candidates are expected to have some previous experience in the use of ocean colour data and products.
• Working knowledge of English
• Participants should preferably bring their own laptops.

A certificate of participation will be issued to all successful students (90% attendance to the classroom course mandatory).

The UNESCO/IOC Project Office for IODE is certified as a Learning Services Provider (ISO 29990:2010).

The OceanTeacher Global Academy is a Project of IOC/IODE supported by the Flanders-UNESCO Trust Fund (FUST) of the Government of Flanders, Belgium.

Course Duration: 5 working days (~ 30 hours classroom sessions, plus eventual online assignments)

Period for Applications: 3 – 22 September 2019

Application process:

• Please fill in the online application form on https://otga.wufoo.com/forms/p16aftzw0cg1yw8/ or https://bit.ly/2k0ge0c
• For more detailed information on how to apply please check: http://bit.ly/2ACZY9r
• No tuition fee applies. A limited number of fellowships is available. 

Contacts:

• OTGA India Regional Training Centre Coordinator: Dr TVS Udaya Bhaskar itcoocean@incois.gov.in)
• OTGA Secretariat: ioc.training@unesco.org

(always use as email subject: OTGA/INCOIS Training Course: Ocean Colour Remote Sensing – Data, Processing and Applications, 25 – 29 November, 2019, Hyderabad, India)

Useful sites:

• www.ioc-cd.org    
• www.iode.org
• www.oceanteacher.org   
• www.oceanexpert.org
• http://www.incois.gov.in/portal/ITCOocean.jsp