Monitoring the effect of upwelling on the chlorophyll a distribution in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) using remote sensing and in situ data**The study was supported by the Estonian Science Foundation (grants No. 7467, No. 6752, No. 7633, No. 7581 & No. 8968). The remote sensing data were provided by ESA via Cat-1 project No. 6855.

AbstractThe spatio-temporal variability of chlorophyl a (Chl a) caused by a sequence of upwelling events in the Gulf of Finland in July–August 2006 was studied using remote sensing data and field measurements. Spatial distributions of sea surface temperature (SST) and Chl a concentration were examined using MODIS and MERIS data respectively. The MERIS data were processed with an algorithm developed by the Free University of Berlin (FUB) for case 2 waters. Evaluation of MERIS Chl a versus in situ Chl a showed good correlation (r2=0.67), but the concentration was underestimated. The linear regression for a 2h window was applied to calibrate MERIS Chl a. The spatio-temporal variability exhibited the clear influence of upwelling events and related filaments on Chl a distribution in the western and central Gulf. The lowest Chl a concentrations were recorded in the upwelled water, especially at the upwelling centres, and the highest concentrations (13mgm−3) were observed about two weeks after the upwelling peak along the northern coast. The areas along the northern coast of upwelled water (4879km2) on the SST map, and increased Chl a (5526km2) two weeks later, were roughly coincident. The effect of upwelling events was weak in the eastern part of the Gulf, where Chl a concentration was relatively consistent throughout this period