Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory: Ocean Color and Optical Validation Data

The Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory (LJCO) provides continuous above and in-water optical measurements from a site in the Great Barrier Reef. Data collection supports satellite ocean color validation and algorithm development, and the site is integrated into NASA's AERONET-OC global network. The observatory's data streams are processed in delayed-mode with automatic quality control and made publicly available through the AODN portal.

Use Cases

• Validate satellite-derived ocean color products based on ground-based radiometric measurements.
• Develop algorithms for atmospheric correction based on aerosol optical property data.
• Study coastal water optical properties based on in-water measurements of absorption, attenuation, and backscattering.
• Analyze temporal trends in coastal water quality parameters like chlorophyll fluorescence and turbidity.

Strengths

• Site is the only southern-hemisphere ocean color validation site integrated into NASA's AERONET-OC global network.
• Combines acquisition of both atmospheric and in-water optical measurements, which is rare globally.
• Data collection involves multiple instruments including a CIMEL SeaPRISM, Satlantic HyperOCR, and various WETLabs sensors.
• Data streams are processed in delayed-mode with automatic quality control applied.

Limitations

• Data collection was interrupted in 2011 with tropical cyclone Yasi.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network (AODN)

Collection Method

Continuous measurements from instruments mounted on the Lucinda Jetty, processed in delayed-mode.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-10 01:50:45.032720; freshness should be verified

Geography

Lucinda Jetty (18.52 S, 146.39 E) in the coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Queensland, Australia.