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.

Download IOCCG Reports from past working groups or browse the list of all published reports

IOCCG Reports

Proposing a New Working Group

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.

Current Scientific IOCCG Working Groups

• Intercomparison of Atmospheric Correction Algorithms over Optically-Complex Waters
• Conducting Benthic Reflectance Measurements
• Ocean Primary Production from Space
• Classification of Optical Water Types in Aquatic Radiometry

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.