Understanding and Protecting Our Home Planet

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Using Multi-temporal MODIS 250 m Data to
Calibrate and Validate a Sediment Transport Model
for Environmental Monitoring of Coastal Waters
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Richard L. Miller, Carlos E. Del Castillo NASA,
Applied Sciences Directorate, SSC Chandrasekhar
Chilmakuri, A. Alex McCorquodale, Ioannis
Georgiou FMI Center for Environmental Modeling,
University of New Orleans Brent A.
McKee Department of Earth and Environmental
Sciences, Tulane University Eurico J.
DSa Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State
University
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Importance of Suspended Sediments
High concentrations of suspended materials
directly affect many water column and benthic
processes such as phytoplankton productivity,
coral growth, productivity of submerged aquatic
vegetation, nutrient dynamics, and the transport
of pollutants and other materials. Knowing the
concentration, spatial distribution, and dynamics
of suspended sediments in coastal aquatic
systems is an important goal of many research
and environmental monitoring programs. The
distribution and flux of suspended sediments is
highly variable in coastal environments and vary
over a broad spectrum of time and space scales.
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Space Observations Modeling
Traditional field measurements can not
effectively monitor suspended sediments at the
desired spatial and temporal scales Use of
remote sensing technology to map suspended
sediment is well documented. Problems with
clouds, spatial resolution, and revisit
time. Use of numerical models for environmental
studies is also widely documented. No problem
with clouds however, limited observations for
boundary and initial conditions. Potential
solution combine remote sensing and numerical
model.
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MODIS 250 m Data

• MODIS Terra (morning) and Aqua (afternoon)

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MODIS 250 m Data

• MODIS Terra (morning) and Aqua (afternoon)
• ca 1 ½ day revisit time

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MODIS 250 m Data

• MODIS Terra (morning) and Aqua (afternoon)
• ca 1 ½ day revisit time
• TSM vs. MODIS Terra (Miller and McKee, 2004)

r2 0.96
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MODIS 250 m Data

• MODIS Terra (morning) and Aqua (afternoon)
• ca 1 ½ day revisit time
• TSM vs. MODIS Terra (Miller and McKee, 2004)

Band 1 620 670 nm
Band 2 841 876 nm
SSC MODIS X-band ground station
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ECOMSED Model
The Estuarine Coastal and Ocean Modeling System
with Sediment, ECOMSED, is a derivative model
from the Princeton Ocean Model (POM). Has a
comprehensive sediment model that simulates the
combined effects of currents and waves on the
resuspension and settling of inorganic
particles. Hydrodynamics and the transport
components of the model have been calibrated
and validated for Lake Pontchartrain, the
sediment transport module of the model has
not.
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Case Study Lake Pontchartrain, LA

• shallow urbanized estuary
• wind-driven resuspension and sediment transport
• transport of pollutants / fecal coliform (human
  health)
• nursery to many fish species

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Multi-temporal MODIS Images
Terra
Aqua
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ECOMSED vs. MODIS TSM
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Conclusions and Future Work
The ECOMSED model calibration was significantly
improved using multi- temporal TSM images
derived from MODIS 250 m images The model
captured the general spatial distribution as
indicated in the MODIS images however, the
model tended to over-estimate suspended sediment
concentrations in shallow areas. Future
improvements include field samples to better
calibrate MODIS images (i.e., Aqua), field
studies to better define the spatial variation in
the sediment parameters in the numerical
model, and modifying the model to accept
spatially varying sediment and wind
fields. Conduct numerical model simulations and
processed image data to provide reliable
estimates of storm water discharge and fecal
coliform distributions.
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NASA ResearchSpacecraft
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Planet Earth - a Dynamic System
Forces acting on the Earth system
Earth system responses
IMPACTS
Feedbacks
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Overarching Science Questions
How is the Earth changing and what are the
consequences of life on Earth?

• How is the global Earth system changing?
• What are the primary forcings of the Earth
  system?
• How does the Earth system respond to natural and
  human-induced changes?
• What are the consequences of changes in the Earth
  system for human civilization?
• How well can we predict future changes in the
  Earth system?

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Earth-Sun System Science
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Applications of National Priority
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Integrating Knowledge, Capacity and Systems into
Solutions
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Application Focus Areas and Partners