Lidar-calibrated regional models for satellite retrieval of primary productivity in the Southern Ocean

Although there is experimental evidence on climate change, the debate on its causes is still open. It is certain that oceanic phytoplankton is a major sink for carbon dioxide. Conversely, a clear understanding of the role played by cold regions in this hot problem needs more investigations. For instance, the chemico-physical dynamics of the Southern Ocean define oceanographic provinces where endemic phytoplankton develops and satellite algorithms should be locally calibrated in order to provide accurate estimates of carbon fixation or primary productivity. As a contribution to the solution of this climatic puzzle, in this study satellite algorithms are calibrated in three regions of the Ross Sea with the measurements carried out by the ENEA lidar fluorosensor. Those results show that the standard primary productivity model should be reviewed and demonstrate that the chlorophyll-a algorithm has to be locally calibrated in each oceanographic province in order to provide accurate data.