A multi-temporal study of chlorophyll-a concentration in the Albufera lagoon of Valencia, Spain, using Thematic Mapper data

Abstract

A multi-temporal study of chlorophyll-a concentration, has been made by means of Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) band 1 (0·45-0·52μm) in the Albufera of Valencia, a hypertrophic lagoon of shallow depth. The relationship between this parameter and satellite data was set up from in situ measurements and concurrent satellite data obtained in a campaign from 22 July 1985. This relation has been applied to images of different dates by using a simple procedure of correction, which is based on the use of selected surfaces whose ground reflectance is assumed to be constant with time. Good results were obtained and chlorophyll-a concentrations have been determined with an error of 20 per cent.