Satellite-Based Study of Seasonal Variability in Water Quality Parameters in a Tropical Estuary along the Southwest Coas
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Satellite-Based Study of Seasonal Variability in Water Quality Parameters in a Tropical Estuary along the Southwest Coast of India Mallika Bhuyan1,2 • Chiranjivi Jayaram3
•
N. Nandini Menon4 • K. Ajith Joseph4
Received: 11 March 2020 / Accepted: 21 August 2020 Ó Indian Society of Remote Sensing 2020
Abstract To sustain a healthy ecosystem, continuous monitoring of the water quality is vital. Ocean colour remote sensing is an important tool to carry out such studies. Thus, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), chromophoric dissolved organic matter (aCDOM440), turbidity (T) and sea surface temperature (SST), among others, have been considered in the present study to evaluate the water quality of the Cochin Backwaters, a tropical estuary along the southwest coast of India. Landsat 8/OLI data have been used to derive the water quality parameters (WQP), and seasonal averages have been estimated to study the variations occurring in the area during 2014–2018. These were then plotted against the river runoff occurring in the area to find out its impact upon the said parameters. The results showed that the aCDOM440 and Chl-a concentrations were related to the runoff of the area as both the parameters were at their peaks during the southwest monsoon season with values approximately more than 1.6 m-1 and 5.6 mg/m3, respectively. However, in the other seasons, aCDOM440 was not seen to directly correspond with the runoff in the area. Turbidity was observed to be the highest during the spring inter-monsoon season (SIM) with values reaching more than 60 FNU. As far as the surface temperature of the estuary is concerned, it was found to be around * 25 °C for most parts of the year, except for the southwest monsoon season when the temperature dropped below 25 °C. Interannual variability of the WQP showed that they were at their highest in 2014 followed by 2016, 2017 and 2018, while the year 2015 had the lowest concentration. The study also brings out the utility of ocean colour remote sensing products as an alternative to study the Indian coastal and estuarine waters. Keywords Chlorophyll-a Chromophoric dissolved organic matter Turbidity Sea surface temperature Cochin backwaters
Introduction
& Chiranjivi Jayaram [email protected]; [email protected] 1
Department of Geography, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Madras (Guindy Campus), Chennai 600025, India
2
Present Address: Department of Remote Sensing, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi 835215, India
3
Regional Remote Sensing Centre – East, NRSC/ISRO, New Town, Plot No: BG-2, Action Area – 1B, Kolkata 700156, India
4
Nansen Environmental Research Centre (India), Amenity Centre, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Panangad P. O, Kochi 682506, India
Water quality can be defined as the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of a water column. The quality of coastal waters is one of the most important aspects of environmental monitoring wherein even a slight change in their characteris
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