Abstract
In Mono Lake (California), a large saline lake, chlorophyll concentrations in the euphotic zone increased from 4 to 45 µg l−1 between July and October 1979. These seasonal changes in chlorophyll are detectable on imagery obtained with the multispectral scanner on Landsat. Computer-compatible tapes of Landsat images were normalized for solar zenith and corrected for atmospheric scatter and absorption to obtain Landsat band 4 emittances (W m−2 str−1) of 13.4 ± 0.5 when chlorophyll was 4 µg l−1 and 4.6 ± 0.3 when chlorophyll was 45 µg l−1. Lake wide, spatial heterogeneity of chlorophyll of 2 µg l−1 in July and 8 µg l−1 in October was not detectable on the Landsat imagery.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Almanza, E., 1983. Landsat analysis of phytoplankton patchiness and seasonality in Mono Lake, California. M.A. Thesis, Univ. Calif., Santa Barbara.
Boland, D. H. P., 1976. Trophic classification of lakes using LANDSAT-1(ERTS-1) multispectral scanner data. U.S.E.-P.A. 600/3-76-037, 245 pp.
Bukata, R. P., G. P. Harris & J. E. Bruton, 1974. The detection of suspended solids and chlorophyll a utilizing digital multispectral ERTS-1 data. 2nd Can. Symp. Remote Sens.: 552–564.
Dozier, J. & J. E. Frew, 1981. Atmospheric corrections to satellite radiometric data over rugged terrain. Remote Sens. Envir. 11: 191–205.
Golterman, H. L. (ed.), 1969. Methods for chemical analysis of fresh water. IBP Handbook 8. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 166 pp.
Harris, G. P. & R. E. H. Smith, 1977. Observations of small-scale spatial patterns in phytoplankton populations. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22: 887–899.
Holyer, R. J., 1978. Toward universal multispectral suspended sediment algorithms. Remote Sens. Envir. 7: 323–338.
Horne, A. J. & R. C. Wrigley, 1975. The use of remote sensing to detect how wind influences planktonic blue-green algal distributions. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 19: 784–791.
Hovis, W. A., W. D. Clark, F. Anderson, R. W. Austin, W. H. Wilson, E. T. Baker, D. Ball, H. R. Gordon, J. L. Mueller, S. Z. El-Sayed, B. Sturm, R. C. Wrigley & C. S. Yentsch, 1980. Nimbus-7 Coastal Zone Color Scanner: system description and initial imagery. Science 210: 60–63.
Lenz, P. H., 1982. Population studies on Artemia in Mono Lake, California. Ph.D. Thesis. Univ. Calif., Santa Barbara.
Lindell, L. T., 1981. Experiences from correlations of Landsat data versus transmission of light and chlorophyll a. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 21: 438–441.
Mason, D. T., 1967. Limnology of Mono Lake, California. Univ. Calif. Public. Zool. 83, 110 pp.
Melack, J. M., 1983. Large, deep salt lakes: a comparative limnological analysis. Hydrobiologia 105: 223–230.
Melack, J. M., P. H. Lenz & S. D. Cooper, 1983. Ecology of Mono Lake. Nat. Geogr. Soc. Res. Rep. (in press).
Munday, J. C. & T. T. Alföldi, 1979. LANDSAT test of diffuse reflectance models for aquatic suspended solids measurement. Remote Sens. Envir. 8: 169–183.
Richerson, P. J., T. M. Powell, M. R. Leigh-Abbott & J. A. Coil, 1978. Spatial heterogeneity in closed basins. In J. H. Steele (ed.), Spatial pattern in plankton communities. Plenum Publishing Corporation, N.Y.: 239–276.
Smith, R. C. & K. S. Baker, 1982. Oceanic chlorophyll concentrations as determined by satellite (Nimbus 7 Coastal Zone Color Scanner). Mar. Biol. 66: 269–279.
Winkler, D. W. (ed.), 1977. An ecological study of Mono Lake, California. Inst. Ecol. Public. 12. Univ. Calif., Davis, 184 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Almanza, E., Melack, J.M. Chlorophyll differences in Mono Lake (California) observable on Landsat imagery. Hydrobiologia 122, 13–17 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018955
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018955