Near Real Time observations of ocean colour properties using NASA MODIS

The Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) Remote Sensing Group (RSG) has implemented a near-real time ocean colour processing chain for the MODIS Terra satellite platform. Using an eight node, dual processor Beowulf cluster this system can produce ocean products such as chlorophyll and sea-surface temperature within 1.5 hours of the satellite overpass time. This will enable the PML RSG to begin supporting marine research cruises with MODIS ocean data; this being particularly timely due to the threatened demise of the SeaWiFS ocean colour sensor. This new system will also allow the near real time multi-sensor capability of MODIS to be investigated.