Monitoring coastal events and changes using satellite data and contextual information: towards a CEOS COAST application knowledge hub

Presented at the GHRSST XXIII international science team meeting, 27 June-1 July 2022, online and in-person (Barcelona). #GHRSST23

Short abstract

Significant differences in land versus sea characteristics and shallow-water response to remotely sensed signals pose challenges in satellite-based coastal monitoring. Highly variable weather systems (e.g., monsoons), boundary currents (e.g., Gulf stream), oceanic dipoles, upwelling and downwelling, and dust/aerosol effects further enhance the challenge. Nevertheless, the coastal areas are critical as they hold the most extensive human base. Despite known limitations in satellite capabilities for coastal applications, the improving resolutions and sensor characteristics render them attractive for such studies. Consequently, a growing focus is on coastal applications using satellite data and other available information to get the best value from an integrated approach. Towards this end, the Satellite Oceanography and Climate Division (NOAA/STAR/SOCD) and NOAA Fisheries are actively pursuing an effort to ease visualization and provide a knowledge base for coastal events. We are conceptualizing the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) COAST Application Knowledge Hub (AKH) to enable simultaneous displaying of:

[1] satellite-based ocean parameters (SST, Chlorophyll, etc.), 

[2] social data and indicators (e.g., population, vulnerability), 

[3] shoreline characteristics, 

[4] seabed properties,

[5] station measurements (e.g., precipitation gauge),

[6] a set of base maps to provide context, 

[7] waterways, [8] elevation, and 

[9] a set of curated major coastal events that caused significant damage (storms, HABs, etc.). 

Story maps corresponding to individual events will enable further deep-dive, and IPCC projections will provide a future outlook.

As we conceptualize the CEOS COAST AKH, this preliminary presentation aims to assess the study potential, interactively solicit suggestions, and gauge features of interest.