Mobile device application for monitoring cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms using Sentinel-3 satellite Ocean and Land Colour Instruments

Blake A Schaeffer; Sean W Bailey; Robyn N Conmy; Michael Galvin; Amber R Ignatius; John M Johnston; Darryl J Keith; Ross S Lunetta; Rajbir Parmar; Richard P Stumpf; Erin A Urquhart; P Jeremy Werdell; Kurt Wolfe

doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.08.015

Mobile device application for monitoring cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms using Sentinel-3 satellite Ocean and Land Colour Instruments

Environ Model Softw. 2018:109:93-103. doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.08.015.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
² Ocean Ecology Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA.
³ National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA.
⁴ National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA, 30605, USA.
⁵ University of North Georgia, Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis, Oakwood, GA, 30566, USA.
⁶ National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI, 02882, USA.
⁷ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
⁸ Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Engineering (ORISE), National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA, 30605, USA.

Abstract

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHAB) cause human and ecological health problems in lakes worldwide. The timely distribution of satellite-derived cyanoHAB data is necessary for adaptive water quality management and for targeted deployment of water quality monitoring resources. Software platforms that permit timely, useful, and cost-effective delivery of information from satellites are required to help managers respond to cyanoHABs. The Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) mobile device application (app) uses data from the European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellite Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) in near realtime to make initial water quality assessments and quickly alert managers to potential problems and emerging threats related to cyanobacteria. App functionality and satellite data were validated with 25 state health advisories issued in 2017. The CyAN app provides water quality managers with a user-friendly platform that reduces the complexities associated with accessing satellite data to allow fast, efficient, initial assessments across lakes.

Keywords: Cyanobacteria; Harmful algal bloom; Mobile device application; Satellite; Water quality.

Abstract

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