Scientific Working Groups

A major focus of the IOCCG has been the formation of specialized working groups investigating various aspects of ocean-colour science, technology and its applications. The end product of these working groups is usually the publication of an IOCCG report. A recommendation was also implemented by the working group on Standardizing the Extraterrestrial Solar Flux Spectrum, chaired by Prof. Andre Morel.

If you would like to propose a new IOCCG working group, please consult the Guidelines for Proposing a New IOCCG Working Group. A list of current and past IOCCG working groups is given below.

*** To download reports from past IOCCG working groups see also***

http://ioccg.org/what-we-do/ioccg-publications/ioccg-reports/

Current Scientific IOCCG Working Groups

• Intercomparison of Atmospheric Correction Algorithms over Optically-Complex Waters
• Conducting Benthic Reflectance Measurements
• Long Term Vicarious Adjustment of Ocean Colour Sensors

Reports from each of these groups will be published by the IOCCG and distributed in a timely manner (free of charge), as and when they become available.

Completed IOCCG Working Groups

• Working group on Minimum Requirements for an Operational Ocean-Colour Sensor (Chaired by André Morel).
  Report: IOCCG Report 1 (1998). Minimum Requirements for an Operational Ocean-Colour Sensor for the Open Ocean.
• Working group on Status and Plans for Ocean-Colour Missions (Chaired by Tasuku Tanaka and James Yoder).
  Report: IOCCG Report 2 (1999). Status and Plans for Satellite Ocean-Colour Missions: Considerations for Complementary Missions.
• Working group on Ocean-Colour in Case 2 Waters (chaired by Shubha Sathyendranath).
  Report: IOCCG Report 3 (2000). Remote Sensing of Ocean Colour in Coastal, and Other Optically-Complex, Waters..
• Working group on Standardizing the Extraterrestrial Solar Flux Spectrum (Chaired by André Morel and James Mueller)
  Report: See Recommendation
• Working group on Ocean-Colour Data Binning (Chaired by David Antoine)
  Report: IOCCG Report 4 (2004). Guide to the creation and use of ocean-colour, Level-3, binned data products.
• Working group on Ocean-Colour Algorithms (Chaired by ZhongPing Lee)
  Report: IOCCG Report 5 (2006). Remote Sensing of Inherent Optical Properties: Fundamentals, Tests of Algorithms, and Applications.
• Working group on Coordination of Merged Data Sets (Chaired by Watson Gregg and Paula Bontempi)
  Report: IOCCG Report 6 (2007). Ocean-Colour Data Merging.
• Working group on Operational Ocean Colour (Chaired by Christopher Brownh, Trevor Platt and Nicolas Hoepffner)
  Report: IOCCG Report 7 (2008). Why Ocean Colour? The Societal Benefits of Ocean- Colour Technology.
• The SAFARI Project (Societal Applications in Fisheries and Aquaculture using Remotely-Sensed Imagery)
  Report: IOCCG Report 8 (2009). Remote Sensing in Fisheries and Aquaculture.
• Working group on  Global Ecological Provinces (Chaired by Mark Dowell and Trevor Platt)
  Report: IOCCG Report 9 (2009). Partition of the Ocean into Ecological Provinces: Role of Ocean-Colour Radiometry.
• Working group on Comparison of Atmospheric Correction Algorithms (Chaired by Menghua Wang).
  Report: IOCCG Report 10 (2010). Atmospheric Correction for Remotely-Sensed Ocean-Colour Products.
• Working group on Bio-optical Instrumentation on ARGO Floats (chaired by Hervé Claustre).
  Report: IOCCG Report 11 (2011). Bio-Optical Sensors on Argo Floats.
• Working group on Ocean Colour from a Geostationary Orbit (chaired by David Antoine).
  Report: IOCCG Report 12 (2012). Ocean-Colour Observations from a Geostationary Orbit.
• Working group on Mission Requirements for Ocean Colour Remote Sensing (chaired by Charles R. McClain, Gerhard Meister and Paula Bontempi).
  Report: IOCCG Report 13 (2012). Mission Requirements for Future Ocean-Colour Sensors.
• Working group on Calibration of Satellite Ocean-Colour Sensors (chaired by Robert Frouin).
  Report: IOCCG Report 14 (2013). In-flight Calibration of Satellite Ocean-Colour Sensors.
• Working group on Phytoplankton Functional Types (chaired by Shubha Sathyendranath).
  Report: IOCCG Report 15 (2014). Phytoplankton Functional Types from Space.
• Working group on Ocean Colour Remote Sensing in Polar Seas (chaired by Marcel Babin, Kevin Arrigo and Simon Bélanger). Report: IOCCG Report 16 (2015). Polar Seas Ocean Colour Remote Sensing.
• Working group on Earth Observations in Support of Global Water Quality Monitoring (chaired by Arnold Dekker, Paul DiGiacomo and Steven Greb).  Report: IOCCG Report 17 (2018).   Earth Observations in Support of Global Water Quality Monitoring
• Working group on Uncertainties in Ocean Colour Remote Sensing  (chaired by Frédéric Mélin and Roland Doerffer). Report:  IOCCG Report 18 (2019) Uncertainties in Ocean Colour Remote Sensing
• Working group on Role of Ocean Colour in Biogeochemical, Ecosystem and Climate Modelling (chaired by Stephanie Dutkiewicz). IOCCG Report 19 (2020),  Synergy between Ocean Colour and Biogeochemical/Ecosystem Models.
• Working group on Harmful Algal Blooms and Ocean Colour (chaired by Stewart Bernard). IOCCG Report 20, (2021), Observation of Harmful Algal Blooms with Ocean Colour Radiometry.