Waterway Monitoring

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Hyperspectral imagery supports large-scale, quantitative monitoring of aquatic environments that are difficult to sample thoroughly using traditional in situ methods. Inland, coastal, and open ocean research benefit from the high spectral resolution of hyperspectral data, which can be used to map sediment plumes, phytoplankton, algae blooms, macroalgae (such as Sargassum), eelgrass, seagrass, oil spills, and various forms of debris and pollution—including floating plastics. Under suitable conditions of water depth and turbidity, hyperspectral imagery can also be used to assess reef health and benthic cover, providing valuable insights for marine ecosystem management.

Processed imagery can support habitat monitoring and assessment.

Processed imagery classifies marine debris, such as plastic waste, using spectral features.

On January 15, 2022 a large discharge of crude oil occurred north of Lima Peru due, in part, to unusually large waves triggered by the massive Tonga volcanic eruption (more than 10,000 km away). Targeted imagery collected by DESIS was processed by NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) to aid in the incident response.