Ocean Colour Radiometry – Virtual Constellation

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) developed the concept of virtual, space-based Constellations to leverage inter-Agency collaboration and partnerships to address observational gaps, sustain the routine collection of critical observations, and minimize duplication/overlaps in observations of a particular parameter of the Earth system. The Ocean Colour Radiometry Virtual Constellation (OCR-VC) was established in 2009 to produce sustained data records of well-calibrated and validated satellite ocean colour datasets from measurements obtained from multiple satellites. All IOCCG Agencies serving on the IOCCG Committee support some aspect of OCR-VC and are taking a leadership role in its activities.

Key scientific and societal goals supported by the OCR-VC include:

• understanding and predicting synoptic states and information for the global ocean, coastal and inland waters related to biological, ecological and biogeochemical processes
• facilitating aquatic applications including monitoring and managing water quality, living marine resources and other crucial ecosystem goods and services
• understanding and predicting the impacts and feedbacks of climate variability and change on aquatic biology, ecology, and chemistry, and reducing the uncertainty on the estimates of carbon sequestration by the biological carbon pump

In 2012, OCR-VC published the International Network for Sensor Inter-comparison and Uncertainty assessment for Ocean Colour Radiometry, or INSITU-OCR, white paper, and to support the white paper recommendations, established the OCR Implementation Team (OCR-IT) to prepare a rolling implementation plan.

Read the CEOS News article: OCR-VC: What Have They Been Up To? (Published 14 Oct 2022)

CEOS Ocean Colour Radiometry Virtual Constellation (OCR-VC)

Co-Chairs

• Ewa Kwiatkowska (EUMETSAT, Germany)
• Marie-Hélène Rio (ESA-ESRIN, Italy)
• Jeremy Werdell (NASA, USA)

OCR-VC Agency Representatives

• Menghua Wang (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR, USA)
• Laura Lorenzoni (NASA, HQ, USA)
• Hiroshi Murakami (JAXA, Japan)
• Joo-Hyung Ryu (KIOST, South Korea)
• Mini Raman (ISRO, India)