Co-Chairs:
Dr. Watson Gregg
Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes
Code 971
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD
20771 USA
Email: gregg@cabin.gsfc.nasa.gov
Dr. Paula Bontempi
Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry
Programs Office of Earth Science,
Code YS
NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW
Washington, D.C. 20546, USA
Tel: 202.358.1508
Email: paula.s.bontempi@nasa.gov
The objectives of this working group were to develop a procedure to be used by Agencies to merge ocean-colour data from various ocean-colour sensors in order to produce a self-consistent, long-term time series of satellite-derived ocean biogeochemical observations. Merging data from coincident satellite sensors can greatly improve the daily coverage of the global ocean. While the IOCCG does not have the resources to produce a large, merged, data set, it could help implement a strategy to achieve this. The group held their first meeting on 10-11 May 2005 in Washington DC to discuss these issues and to draft an IOCCG report with their recommendations.
The final report, IOCCG Report 6, describes the opportunities and potential benefits for ocean-colour data merging, the specific complexities involved, methods already undertaken with assessment of strengths and weaknesses, knowledge requirements, success criteria, and finally a discussion of what needs to be done in the future. This has provided a basis from which ocean-colour data merging activities can proceed, leading eventually to high quality archives of merged products.
The sixth International Ocean Colour Science (IOCS) meeting will take place in Darmstadt, Germany from 1 – 4 December 2025, hosted by EUMETSAT and ESA with support from other agencies.