Lidar fluorosensor and satellite integrated approach: seven years of Southern Ocean investigation

Southern Ocean plays an important role in the global carbon cycle and strongly influences global changes with the Ross Sea as one of the more productive regions due to strong phytoplankton blooms occurring in spring and summer. ENEA Lidar fluorosensor measured bio-optical properties of Antarctic waters since 1997 up to 2003 simultaneously to SeaWiFS observations. Chlorophyll-a data from lidar and radiometer are integrated to provide primary productivity model of the Ross Sea. Preliminary results on a new satellite algorithm for CDOM concentration retrieval is suggested after calibration with the measurements carried out by the ENEA lidar fluorosensor.