Improved Algorithms for the Measurement of Total Precipitable Water and Cloud Liquid Water from SARAL Microwave Radiometer Observations

SARAL carried onboard a radar altimeter that provides very precise measurements of the sea surface height (SSH). Like other altimetric missions, SARAL carries a passive microwave radiometer (PMR) for wet tropospheric correction to SSH. In the present study, new algorithms are developed for the retrieval of cloud liquid water (CLW) and total precipitable water vapor (TPW) over the global oceans from PMR measurements of the brightness temperatures. A radiative transfer and genetic algorithm based retrieval scheme is proposed for the estimation of CLW and TPW from SARAL PMR. The comparisons of CLW from PMR with independent measurements from GPM-GMI and SSMIS within and outside ±40° latitudes show correlation (R) of 0.86 and 0.83, bias of 0.7 and ?3.61?mg/cm², and root mean square error (RMSE) of 8.42 and 8.07?mg/cm², respectively. Similarly, TPW from PMR with GPM-GMI and SSMIS show R of 0.99 and 0.98, bias of ?0.04 and ?0.03?g/cm² and RMSE of 0.17 and 0.17?g/cm², respectively. The retrieval accuracy of CLW and TPW from the new algorithms is compared with these parameters provided in the SARAL geophysical data records as finished products, which showed substantial improvement in the quality of the parameters from the new algorithm.     

吕宋海峡附近海域海表面高度季节内变化

利用1993~2017年海表面高度异常数据集,分析研究了西北太平洋季节内变化(20~120d)的整体分布特征,结果表明空间上季节内信号在20°N附近海域(16°~24°N)最强,时间上在6~8月达到一年中的最大值。在吕宋海峡东侧(123.875°E,20.125°N)季节内信号周期(70d)和传播速度(10.7~12.7cm/s)均大于吕宋海峡西侧(119.625°E, 20.125°N)(60 d, 6.5~7.8cm/s)。在大洋内部(123°~140°E, 18°~24°N)存在准90d的周期信号,传播速度约10.3cm/s。传播路径受黑潮的影响发生改变,由沿纬度西传转向向西北方向传播。第一斜压Rossby波理论对海表面高度季节内变化的周期和传播速度具有很好的解释性。     

Detection of Intermediate Mediterranean Waters in the Atlantic Ocean by ARGO Floats Data

Peculiarities of the spatial distribution of intermediate Mediterranean waters (MW), which are the main source to maintain the heat and salt budgets at depths of 600–1500 m in the Atlantic Ocean, have been studied using the ARGO floats measurements database. About 75000 temperature and salinity profiles recorded by 900 ARGO floats in 2005–2014 in the Atlantic Ocean for latitudes from 20° to 50° N were used. To process these data, we used the ARGO-Based Model for Investigation of the Global Ocean (AMIGO). This technique allowed us for the first time to obtain a complete set of oceanographic characteristics up to a depth of 2000 m for different time averaging intervals (month, season, years). Joint analysis of the temperature, salinity, and velocity distributions at 700–1000 m depths made it possible to revise the distribution of MW and their penetration into the western part of the ocean across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). It is shown that at depths of 700 and 1000 m, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a barrier to advective propagation of salty waters (>35.5 PSU) to the west and is transparent to fragments of destroyed intrathermocline lenses (ITL) with lower salinity (<35.4 PSU). In the Atlantic region, from 20° to 35° N and from 30° to 70° W, individual lens profiles with an anomalous salinity distribution were sought using ARGO measurements to detect ITL and its separate fragments. About 24 000 measurements from 370 ARGO floats were analyzed, and only about 3% of them showed weak salinity anomalies at 800–1200 m depths. No ITL were found from these observations. Analysis of long-term drifting of individual floats recording temperature and salinity profiles with anomalous layers made it possible to study the nature of MW transport through the MAR.     

海洋表层温度对台风"蔷薇"路径和强度预测精度的影响

基于中尺度大气模式WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting Model),首先对2007年3次船舶辐射通量观测进行模拟,以检验WRF对长波和短波辐射通量的模拟能力,结果表明使用中国近海海洋环境数值预报系统环流模式POM(Princeton Ocean Model)模拟的高时空分辨率的海洋表层温度能够显著改进短波辐射通量的模拟,而对长波辐射通量模拟的改进不明显。然后,将业务化运行的中国近海海洋环境数值预报系统后报的逐时海洋表面温度(SST)作为WRF底边界条件,对2008年15号强台风"蔷薇"(Jangmi)过程进行了数值后报试验。结果表明,与使用NCEP/NCAR的SST试验后报的台风中心位置偏差相比,使用高时空分辨率的SST能够较为显著地改善"蔷薇"的路径模拟,台风中心位置模拟偏差减少11%,尤其在台风减弱阶段,台风中心位置模拟偏差减少37%。台风强度在台风发展的不同阶段对下垫面SST的变化敏感性不同。台风路径附近的海表面温度下降会导致海洋向大气输送的热量减少从而减弱台风强度。     

海洋表层温度对台风"蔷薇"路径和强度预测精度的影响

基于中尺度大气模式WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting Model),首先对2007年3次船舶辐射通量观测进行模拟,以检验WRF对长波和短波辐射通量的模拟能力,结果表明使用中国近海海洋环境数值预报系统环流模式POM(Princeton Ocean Model)模拟的高时空分辨率的海洋表层温度能够显著改进短波辐射通量的模拟,而对长波辐射通量模拟的改进不明显。然后,将业务化运行的中国近海海洋环境数值预报系统后报的逐时海洋表面温度(SST)作为WRF底边界条件,对2008年15号强台风"蔷薇"(Jangmi)过程进行了数值后报试验。结果表明,与使用NCEP/NCAR的SST试验后报的台风中心位置偏差相比,使用高时空分辨率的SST能够较为显著地改善"蔷薇"的路径模拟,台风中心位置模拟偏差减少11%,尤其在台风减弱阶段,台风中心位置模拟偏差减少37%。台风强度在台风发展的不同阶段对下垫面SST的变化敏感性不同。台风路径附近的海表面温度下降会导致海洋向大气输送的热量减少从而减弱台风强度。     

Ground-based measurements of total column of hydrogen chloride in the atmosphere near St. Petersburg

We present ground-based spectroscopic measurements of the total hydrogen chloride in the atmosphere of Peterhof near St. Petersburg from April 2009 to March 2012. The well-known computer code SFIT-2 (Zephyr-2) was used to interpret the spectra of the solar IR radiation. The random and systematic errors of total column (TC) HCl measurements did not exceed 3.8 and 4.5%. The seasonal behavior of TC HCl in Peterhof is characterized by the presence of a maximum in March–April and a minimum in October–November. There are also extremely small TC HCl values in January–February. The time behavior obtained for Peterhof agrees well with data from nearest stations in the NDACC international network. The ground-based measurements of the TC HCl were compared with satellite measurements with the help of ACE-FTS and MLS instruments. The direct comparisons of coincident (within a day) and collocated (within 500 km) satellite and ground-based measurements showed a correspondence of results within their total errors.     

Estimating photosynthetically available radiation at the ocean surface from ADEOS-II global imager data

A simple, yet efficient and fairly accurate algorithm is presented to estimate photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) at the ocean surface from Global Imager (GLI) data. The algorithm utilizes plane-parallel radiation-transfer theory and separates the effects of the clear atmosphere and clouds, i.e., the planetary atmosphere is modeled as a clear atmosphere positioned above a cloud layer. PAR is computed as the difference between the incident 400–700 nm solar flux at the top of the atmosphere (known) and the solar flux reflected back to space by the atmosphere and surface (derived from GLI radiance), taking atmospheric absorption into account. Knowledge of pixel composition is not required, eliminating the need for cloud screening and arbitrary assumptions about sub-pixel cloudiness. For each GLI pixel, clear or cloudy, a daily PAR estimate is obtained. Diurnal changes in cloudiness are taken into account statistically, using a regional diurnal albedo climatology based on 5 years of Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) data. The algorithm results are verified against other satellite estimates of PAR, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis product, and in-situ measurements from fixed buoys. Agreement is generally good between GLI and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) estimates, with root-mean-squared (rms) differences of 7.9 (22%), 4.6 (13%), and 2.7 (8%) Einstein/m²/day on daily, weekly, and monthly time scales, and a bias of only 0.8–0.9 (about 2%) Einstein/m²/day. The rms differences between GLI and Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR) estimates and between GLI and NCEP estimates are smaller and larger, respectively, on monthly time scales, i.e., 3.0 (7%) and 5.0 (14%) Einstein/m²/day, and biases are 1.1 (2%) and −0.2 (−1%) Einstein/m²/day. The comparison with buoy data also shows good agreement, with rms inaccuracies of 10.2 (23%), 6.3 (14%), and 4.5 (10%) Einstein/m²/day on daily, weekly, and monthly time scales, and slightly higher GLI values by about 1.0 (2%) Einstein/m²/day. The good statistical performance makes the algorithm suitable for large-scale studies of aquatic photosynthesis.     

印度尼西亚海域潮波的数值研究

基于ROMS模式构建了模拟区域为(15.52°S-7.13°N,110.39°~134.15°E)水平分辨率为2′的潮波数值模式,分别模拟了印尼海域M2、S2、K1、O1四个主要分潮。模拟结果与29个卫星高度计交叠点上的调和常数进行比较,符合较好。M2分潮的振幅均方根差为3.4cm,迟角均方根差为5.9°;S2分潮的振幅均方根差为1.7cm,迟角均方根差为6.3°;K1分潮振幅均方根差为1.1cm,迟角均方根差为5.8°;O1分潮振幅均方根差为1.2cm,迟角均方根差为4.4°。M2、S2、K1、O1分潮向量均方根差分别为3.8cm、2.4cm、1.9cm和1.3cm,模拟结果的相对偏差在10%左右。根据计算结果分析了印尼海域的潮汐特征及潮能传播规律,结果显示:爪哇海以外的印尼海域主要为不规则半日潮区;全日潮潮能主要由太平洋传入印尼海域,而半日潮潮能则是从印度洋传入印尼海域。     

Calibration and Verification of Jason-1 Using Global Along-Track Residuals with TOPEX

It is demonstrated that the Jason-1 measurements of sea surface height (SSH), wet path delay, and ionosphere path delay are within required accuracies, via a global cross-calibration with similar measurements made by TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) over a 6-month period. Since the two satellites were on the same groundtrack separated in time by only 70 s, measurements were recorded at approximately the same location and time. The variations in the wet path delay measured by Jason-1 compared to T/P are only 5 mm RMS, well within the required performance of 1.2 cm RMS. The RMS of the ionosphere differences is also well within the expected values, with a mean RMS of 1.2 cm. The largest difference is that the Jason-1 SSH is biased high relative to T/P SSH by 144 mm after the T/P and Jason-1 data are both corrected with improved sea state bias (SSB) models. However, the bias will change if a different SSB model is used, so the user should be cautious that the bias used matches the SSB models. The bias is generally constant within ± 10 mm in the open ocean, but appears to be higher or lower in some regions. Additionally, the SSH has been verified by comparison with 36 island tide gauges over the same period. After removing the global relative bias, the Jason-1 SSH data agree with tide gauges within 3.7 cm RMS and with T/P data within about 3.5 cm RMS on average for 1-s measurements, meeting the required accuracy of 4.2 cm RMS.     

Calibration and Verification of Jason-1 Using Global Along-Track Residuals with TOPEX Special Issue: Jason-1 Calibration/Validation

It is demonstrated that the Jason-1 measurements of sea surface height (SSH), wet path delay, and ionosphere path delay are within required accuracies, via a global cross-calibration with similar measurements made by TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) over a 6-month period. Since the two satellites were on the same groundtrack separated in time by only 70 s, measurements were recorded at approximately the same location and time. The variations in the wet path delay measured by Jason-1 compared to T/P are only 5 mm RMS, well within the required performance of 1.2 cm RMS. The RMS of the ionosphere differences is also well within the expected values, with a mean RMS of 1.2 cm. The largest difference is that the Jason-1 SSH is biased high relative to T/P SSH by 144 mm after the T/P and Jason-1 data are both corrected with improved sea state bias (SSB) models. However, the bias will change if a different SSB model is used, so the user should be cautious that the bias used matches the SSB models. The bias is generally constant within ± 10 mm in the open ocean, but appears to be higher or lower in some regions. Additionally, the SSH has been verified by comparison with 36 island tide gauges over the same period. After removing the global relative bias, the Jason-1 SSH data agree with tide gauges within 3.7 cm RMS and with T/P data within about 3.5 cm RMS on average for 1-s measurements, meeting the required accuracy of 4.2 cm RMS.     

The heat balance on the sea surface in the mature phase of 1982/83 El Nino event

Using the air-sea data set of January, 1983 (the mature phase of the 1982/83 El Nino event), the net radiation on the sea surface, the fluxes of the latent and the sensible heat from ocean to the atmosphere and the net heat gain of the sea surface are calculated over the Indian and the Pacific Oceans for the domain of 35°N-35°S and 45°E-75°W. The results indicate that the upward transfer of the latent and the sensible heat fluxes over the winter hemisphere is larger than that over the summer hemisphere. The sensible heat over the tropical mid Pacific in the Southern Hemisphere is transported from the atmosphere to the ocean, though its magnitude is rather small. The latent heat flux gained by the air over the eastern Pacific is less than the mean value of the normal year. The net radiation, on which the cloud amount has considerable impact, is essentially zonally distributed. Moreover, the sea surface temperature (SST) has a very good correlation with the net radiation, the region of warm SST coinci     

Hydrography and circulation of the bay of Bengal during withdrawal phase of the southwest Monsoon

Hydrographic data were collected from 3 to 10 September 1996 along two transects; one at 18° N and the other at 90° E. The data were used to examine the thermohaline, circulation and chemical properties of the Bay of Bengal during the withdrawal phase of the southwest monsoon. The surface salinity exhibited wide spatial variability with values as low as 25.78 at 18° N / 87° E and as high as 34.79 at 8° N / 90° E. Two high salinity cells (S > 35.2) were noticed around 100 m depth along the 90° E transect. The wide scatter in T-S values between 100 and 200 m depth was attributed to the presence of the Arabian Sea High Salinity (ASHS) water mass. Though the warm and low salinity conditions at the sea surface were conducive to a rise in the sea surface topography at 18° N / 87° E, the dynamic height showed a reduction of 0.2 dyn.m. This fall was attributed to thermocline upwelling at this location. The geostrophic currents showed alternating flows across both the transects. Relatively stronger and mutually opposite currents were noticed around 25 m depth across the 18° N transect with velocity slightly in excess of 30 cm s⁻¹. Similar high velocity (> 40 cm s⁻¹) pockets were also noticed to extend up to 30 m depths in the southern region of the 90° E transect. However, the currents below 250 m were weak and in general < 5 cm s⁻¹. The net geostrophic volume transports were found to be of the order of 1.5 × 10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ towards the north and of 6 × 10⁶ m³ s⁻¹ towards west across the 18° N and 90° E transects respectively. The surface circulation patterns were also investigated using the trajectories of drifting buoys deployed in the eastern Indian Ocean around the same observation period. Poleward movement of the drifting buoy with the arrival of the Indian Monsoon Current (IMC) at about 12° N along the eastern rim of the Bay of Bengal has been noticed to occur around the beginning of October. The presence of an eddy off the southeast coast of India and the IMC along the southern periphery of the Bay of Bengal were also evident in the drifting buoy data.     

Validation and Improvement of Satellite-Derived Surface Solar Radiation over the Northwestern Pacific Ocean

The purpose of this study is to validate and improve satellite-derived downward surface shortwave radiation (DSSR) over the northwestern Pacific Ocean using abundant in situ data. The DSSR derivation model used here assumes that the reduction of solar radiation by clouds is proportional to the product of satellite-measured albedo and a cloud attenuation coefficient. DSSR is calculated from Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-5/Visible Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer data in 0.05° × 0.05° grids. The authors first compare the satellite DSSR derived with a cloud attenuation coefficient table determined in past research with in situ values. Although the hourly satellite DSSR agrees well with land in situ values in Japan, it has a bias of +13∼+34 W/m² over the ocean and the bias is especially large in the low latitudes. The authors then improve the coefficient table using the ocean in situ data. Usage of the new table successfully reduces the bias of the satellite DSSR over the ocean. The cloud attenuation coefficient for low-albedo cases over the ocean needs to be larger in the low latitudes than past research has indicated. Daily and hourly DSSR can be evaluated from the satellite data with RMS errors of 11–14% and 30–33%, respectively, over a wide region of the ocean by this model. It is also shown that the cloud attenuation coefficient over land needs to be smaller than over the ocean because the effect of the radiation reflected by the land surface cannot be ignored.     

2002年春季吕宋海峡海流观测及其谱分析

基于2002年春季航次在吕宋海峡海域锚碇测流站(20°49'57"N,120°48'12"E)200,500与800m锚碇测流水层观测流,进行的海流特征分析与最大熵方法谱分析,得到以下主要结果.(1)在200m处,观测期间海流平均速度为(47.4cm/s,346°),最大观测海流速度V_max和最大日平均海流速度V_d,max分别为(103.8cm/s,10°)和(71.6cm/s,339°);在500m处,观测期间平均流速为(20.3cm/s,350°),最大观测海流速度V_max和最大日平均海流速度V_d,max分别为(74.1cm/s,17°)和(39.1cm/s,317°).这些都表明黑潮在吕宋海峡锚碇测流站200和500m处向西北方向入侵南海.(2)在800m处,观测期间平均流速为(1.2cm/s,35°),最大观测海流速度V_max和最大日平均海流速度V_d,max分别为(10.8cm/s,76°)和(4.7cm/s,46°).这些都表明,它们的流向皆为东北向.比较在每层实测流的结果,表明在800m层海流状况与200和500m层海流状况是不相同的,流速随深度变深明显减弱,流向向右偏转.(3)在观测期间200,500和800m处,日平均流速在4月皆比3月时要强.(4)在200～800m潮流随深度变深有所变化,除了在500m处f<0情况全日潮峰值高于半日潮峰值以及对于半日潮以逆时针方向为主以外,其余情况在200～800m水层半日潮峰值都要高于全日潮的峰值,并且皆以顺时针方向旋转为主.(5)在200～800m水层都存在15d以上或14d左右的周期振动,例如在逆时针方向分量谱(f>0)在200,500m处存在19d左右的周期振动;在800m处存在14d左右的周期振动(f<0).(6)在200～800m处都存在4～6d周期天气过程的振动和2～3d周期振动.还都存在34.5h左右惯性振动周期,它的振动方向为顺时针方向.(7)通过交叉谱的计算,揭示:1)200与500m层两组流速时间序列对于半日潮周期、全日潮周期、15d以上的周期振动、2～3d的周期振动等都有很好的相关性,且对15d以上的长周期振动几乎是同步的;2)500与800m层两组流速时间序列对于4～6d天气过程的周期振动与2～3d的周期振动等都有很好的相关性,但它们之间有相位差,有滞后或提前现象.     

GM测高数据反演中国近海及邻域精细重力场

综合对比4种波形重跟踪算法,选择改进阈值法处理Jason-1GM数据,联合波形重跟踪后的Geosat和ERS-1GM数据,沿轨2Hz重采样以提高数据空间分辨率。通过数据质量控制剔除粗差数据,考虑海表面地形的影响,基于移去-恢复法和维宁-曼齐兹公式反演了中国近海及邻近海域(0°~45°N,100°~140°E)1′×1′的精细重力场。船测数据检核表明反演结果在开阔海域精度约4mGal,近岸浅水区约10mGal,均优于DTU10和V21.1模型。     

南印度洋副热带偶极子的年代际转变特征

为了增进对南印度洋副热带偶极子(Subtropical Indian Ocean Dipole,SIOD)年代际变化的认识,基于Hadley中心的海表面温度(sea surface temperature,SST)、美国国家环境预报中心的大气再分析数据集Ⅰ(NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis1,NCEP)的大气再分析数据和欧洲中期天气预报中心的海洋再分析数据(Ocean Reanalysis System 4,ORAS4)等,本文分析了1958～2020年SIOD年代际转变的特征和物理机制。结果显示,2000年之前,SIOD存在2～4 a和4～6 a两个年际主周期,但近20 a(2000～2020年)其年际变化周期以1.5～2.0 a为主。与此同时,SIOD的空间特征及其强度在1987年和2004年左右出现了两次显著的年代际转变:1958～1986年(P1)期间强度最大,1987～2003年(P2)期间最弱,2004～2020年(P3)期间居中;P1期间SIOD的最大正SST异常(sea surface temperature anomalies,SSTA)中心位于(46°～80...     

多源卫星高度计有效波高数据融合方法研究

有效波高数据融合可以弥补单颗卫星高度计数据存在的时间和空间分辨率不足的问题,为有效波高的海洋学应用提供更精确的分析资料.对反距离加权法、克里金插值法和逐步订正法等数据融合方法进行了研究,得到了适合于有效波高数据融合的模型和参数,并利用GFO,Jason-1和Envisat高度计获取的我国海域及其邻近海域有效波高数据,对不同融合方法、滤波器窗口和卫星个数等影响融合结果的因素进行了分析,结果表明:(1)融合后的有效波高分布特征与前人多年统计分析结果基本一致;(2)数据较密集时,不同融合方法的结果差别不大;(3)选择的滤波器窗口大小与时间分辨率有关,对于时间分辨率为10d的融合而言,采用2.5°×2.5°~3°×3°大小的滤波器窗口所得到的融合结果最合适;(4)参加融合的卫星个数至少为3颗.     

Year-long float trajectories in the Labrador Sea Water of the eastern North Atlantic Ocean

Year-long Lagrangian trajectories within the Labrador Sea Water of the eastern North Atlantic Ocean are analysed for basic flow statistics. Root-mean-square velocities at 1750 m depth are about 2 cm/s, except within the North Atlantic Current, where they are twice as large. These values are consistent with previous Eulerian measurements and extend those results to a much larger domain of the eastern basin. Mean flow estimates in boxes large enough to contain about 1 float-year of data indicate that Labrador Sea Water, having crossed the Mid- Atlantic Ridge (not resolved) near 50–55^°N, presumably with the North Atlantic Current, partially recirculates to the north in the subpolar gyre, as well as entering the subtropical gyre and continuing south and west. The circulation of this water mass, as defined by the 1 yr average velocities, is stronger than traditional models of deep circulation would suggest, with an interior flow of roughly 1 cm/s. Mean speeds up to 3 cm/s were observed, with the highest values near the Azores Plateau. North of 45°N–55°N, mean eastward speeds closer to 0.2 cm/s were observed. Wind-generated barotropic fluctuations may be responsible for some part of the transport at this depth.     

Albedo of clouds and radiation conditions in the oceans

On the basis of the satellite and ship data of many-year observations, we parametrize the albedo of the ocean-atmosphere system both for the conditions of “fair weather” and for the maximum and climatic optical thicknesses of oceanic clouds. These results are used to develop a procedure of practically exact reconstruction of the monthly average fluxes of integral solar radiation and the radiation budget over the ice-free surface of the oceans according to the data of satellite measurements of albedo (Nimbus NOAA satellite, 1974–1983) for arbitrary conditions of transparency of the atmosphere and cloudiness. We determine the current and climatic monthly average values and the characteristics of interannual variability of all components of the radiation mode of the ocean-atmosphere system with a spatial resolution of 500×500 km. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

Estimating photosynthetically available radiation at the ocean surface from GOCI data

A technique is presented to estimate photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) at the ocean surface from Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) data. The sensor is adapted to the problem, since it measures at visible wavelengths and does not saturate over clouds, and the hourly data provides adequate temporal sampling to describe diurnal variability of clouds. Instantaneous surface PAR is computed as the difference between the solar irradiance incident at the top of the atmosphere (known) and the solar irradiance reflected back to space (derived from GOCI radiance), taking into account absorption and scattering by the clear atmosphere (modeled). Knowledge of pixel composition is not required. Apart from planetary albedo and sun zenith angle, the model parameters are fixed at their climatological values. The instantaneous PAR estimates at hourly intervals are integrated over time to provide daily values. The technique is applied to GOCI imagery acquired on 5 April 2011, and the GOCI daily PAR estimates are compared with those obtained from MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data. Agreement is good between the two types of estimates, with a coefficient of determination (r ²) of 0.778, a bias of 0.23 Em^?2d^?1 (0.5% with higher GOCI values), and a root-mean-squared difference of 5.00 Em^?2d^?1 (11.2%). Differences in cloudy conditions are attributed to daily cloudiness changes not captured by the MODIS observations. The comparison statistics indicate that GOCI PAR estimates have acceptable accuracy for regional studies of aquatic photosynthesis.