East Antarctic Ocean Color Validation Data from Denman Voyage

Denman Marine Voyage data supports validation of NASA's PACE Ocean Color Instrument in East Antarctic waters. Surface HPLC samples were collected from the RSV Nuyina's underway line during satellite overpasses in March-May 2025. Analysis was conducted by CSIRO's marine laboratory in Hobart, Australia, for a project funded by the Australian Research Council and Antarctic Science Ltd.

Use Cases

• Validating PACE OCI chlorophyll-a retrieval algorithms using in-situ HPLC pigment concentrations from surface waters.
• Assessing spatial variability of phytoplankton communities in the Denman Glacier and Shackleton polynya regions from pigment signatures.
• Correlating underway surface sampling data with coincident PACE satellite overpass times for match-up analysis.
• Studying bio-optical properties in East Antarctic coastal and shelf waters to expand regional validation datasets.

Strengths

• Data collected during a dedicated 2025 Antarctic research voyage targeting key validation regions.
• Samples analyzed at a national marine laboratory (CSIRO), suggesting standardized procedures.
• Collection timed with PACE satellite overpasses, enabling direct match-up validation.

Limitations

• Sample size and spatial/temporal coverage are unknown, likely representing a limited campaign.
• Data is restricted to surface waters from the ship's underway line, lacking vertical profile information.
• Specific measured parameters (beyond HPLC pigments) and data quality flags are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

OB_DAAC (NASA's Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center).

Collection Method

Surface water samples collected from ship's underway system during the Denman Marine Voyage (RSV Nuyina) and analyzed via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Time Range

March-May 2025.

Freshness

Data from a 2025 campaign, with a platform last updated date of 2025-12-31.

Geography

East Antarctic waters, specifically near the Denman Glacier, Shackleton ice shelf, and Shackleton polynya.