Accuracy assessment of satellite-derived sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-A concentration products based on field measurements

DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2025-2-31-135-142

View or download the article (Rus)

About the Authors

Polina G. Ilyushina

Lomonosov Moscow State University,
1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia,
E-mail: ilyushinapg@my.msu.ru

Kirill P. Yarkov

Lomonosov Moscow State University Marine Research Center LLC,
1, Ramensky blvd., Moscow, 119607, Russia,
E-mail: k.yarkov@marine-rc.ru

Vladislav O. Kalenichenko

Center of Competence “Technologies for Reducing Anthropogenic Impact”. Lomonosov Moscow State University,
1s3, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia,
E-mail: v.kalenichenko@marine-rc.ru

Sergey V. Doroshenko

Marine Center LLC,
1, Ramensky blvd., Moscow, 119607, Russia,
E-mail: s.doroshenko@mor-center.ru

Abstract

This study aims to assess the accuracy of global satellite products used to determine sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration in the surface water layer, with a focus on the Arctic and Far Eastern seas of Russia. The analysis is based on data from the MODIS and VIIRS imaging systems, as well as integrated products from the Copernicus Marine Portal, which were compared with in situ measurements collected between 2018 and 2022 in the Kara, Okhotsk, and Pechora seas. To automate the comparison process, a specialized module was developed in QGIS, enabling the extraction of satellite data at field station points, followed by the calculation of the root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2), and characterization of discrepancies. The results revealed a systematic overestimation of satellite-derived chlorophyll-a concentrations: 68–93 % of satellite estimates exceeded the in situ measurements, particularly in coastal zones influenced by suspended organic matter. The lowest RMSE (1.63 mg/m3) was observed for MODIS/Terra data; however, no significant correlation between satellite and field data was found. For sea surface temperature, a general underestimation was noted (RMSE of 2.8°C), except for the Copernicus OSTIA product, which showed high agreement with field data (R2 = 0.81, RMSE = 1.7°C). Integrated Copernicus products, which combine data from multiple satellite platforms, exhibited mixed results: a relatively high error for chlorophyll-a (6.03 mg/m3) but the best accuracy for temperature among all analyzed parameters. Geographically, the highest errors were observed in shallow areas of the seas, likely due to the presence of suspended organic matter in the water.

Keywords

chlorophyll a, sea surface temperature (SST), remote sensing

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For citation: Ilyushina P.G., Yarkov K.P., Kalenichenko V.O., Doroshenko S.V. Accuracy assessment of satellite-derived sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-A concentration products based on field measurements. InterCarto. InterGIS. Moscow: MSU, Faculty of Geography, 2025. V. 31. Part 2. P. 135–142. DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2025-2-31-135-142 (in Russian)