EurOCEAN 2000 - Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee

All three sites are equipped with identical instrumental packages and special attention is given
to sensor intercalibrations to ensure comparability of the data collected at the different
locations.
By the end of 2000 COLORS is expected to provide:
• series of optical and bio-geo-chemical measurements of the major types of European
coastal atmospheres and waters;
• bio-optical and atmospheric models and algorithms for coastal and shelf sea areas,
developed and assessed using the measurements collected;
• assessment of methods for the interpretation of satellite remotely sensed data of European
seas, based upon the new bio-optical and atmospheric models and algorithms.
The flow schematic diagram of COLORS activities is given in figure 1.
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A D R IA T IC S E A
data
Instrum ents
C A LIB R A TIO N / IN TE R C A L IB R A TIO N
ATMOSPHERIC
m odelling
ENGLISH CHANNEL
data
Central
DATA BASE
SATELLITE / AIRCRAFT
products validation
BIO-OPTICAL
m odelling
Figure 1. Flow of the COLORS activities
NORTH SEA
data
2.1 Optical and bio-geo-chemical measurements
The three measurement sites have been chosen to ensure that the main water types dominating
European coastal/shelf waters, are considered.
• A site off Venice in the Northern Adriatic Sea (Lat. 45 o 18‘50”N, Lon. 12 o 30’30”E). The site
is representative of the marine features of the entire Adriatic Sea and is located in a
transition region which is characterized by oceanic or coastal aerosols and Case-1 or Case-2
waters, depending on prevailing winds and currents. Both marine and atmospheric
measurements are taken from an oceanographic tower.
• The area around the island of Helgoland (Lat. 54 o N, Lon. 09 o E) in the North Sea. The site
is characterized by maritime and coastal aerosol and Case-2 water with very high
concentration of suspended matter and yellow substances from the Elbe river. The marine
measurements are performed from a research vessel. The atmospheric measurements are
taken from the island of Helgoland.
• A long term mooring site off Plymouth (Lat. 50 o 13’N, Lon. 04 o 05’W) in the English
Channel. The site is mostly characterized by maritime aerosol and oceanic waters. However
according to changes in direction of prevailing winds and currents, the site can be