18 
Seafood, such as shrimp, oysters, crabs, and 
clams, are often cultured and harvested in the 
coastal ecosystem, and fish-related aquaculture 
activities are also increasing in these areas. Data 
from the SeaWiFS sensor will be valuable in moni- 
toring and managing these resources. For exam- 
ple, the opening and closing of shrimp grounds 
has traditionally been related to catch information 
in conjunction with water temperature and sus- 
pended sediment data. The SeaWiFS sensor sys- 
tem will also provide excellent seasonal water 
quality information that can be used to locate the 
best sites for new aquaculture facilities. 
Supporting Research Issues 
Except for the value-added industry, most po- 
tential users of processed data are not trained in 
its use or interpretation. For example, experience 
gained while distributing CZCS data to the fisher- 
ies industry showed that substantial user support 
is required before the information is put to its ap- 
propriate use and, hence, considered to be of 
value by the user. Commercial users need to be 
able to test the potential of applications of interest 
to them, including the compatibility of the system 
with existing software and hardware processing 
packages. Potential applications using SeaWiFS 
data should be demonstrated far enough in ad- 
vance of data availability that commercialization 
can commence immediately after launch. 
Hence, a study should be undertaken by the 
research community to establish the utility of Sea- 
WiFS-type data, based on AVHRR and historical 
CZCS data, for specific commercial applications. 
Tutorial sessions with members of associations 
representing potential users and user workshops 
are likely to lead to an improved perception of the 
value of the data and increased use of it. 
The following examples of ongoing research 
in support of operational uses of SeaWiFS data 
are drawn from the Navy's research program. 
However, much of this research is applicable to 
other users. 
In a research program funded by the Office 
of Naval Research (ONR), general water-mass 
classification is being developed by coupling 
satellite-derived bio-optical data with sea-surface 
temperature data. Since the information content 
in the visible bands and in the thermal-infrared 
bands is different, combining these data reveals 
improved methods of viewing the ocean surface 
and, therefore, of classifying ocean waters. At 
this time this is a basic research program and, 
hence, does not describe an operational require- 
ment of the Navy. However, SeaWiFS would be 
an ideal sensor for this work since the visible and 
infrared data will be coregistered. 
Basic research at ONR is also being directed 
toward assessing the biota using ocean-color 
properties. This research reflects the Navy's in- 
terest in ambient noise from marine life and in bio- 
luminescence. The occurrence of specific phyto- 
plankton pigments and their concentration are re- 
lated to data acquired on ocean color, and re- 
search is being directed toward determining a 
mechanism for isolating the phytoplankton groups 
responsible for bioluminescence from the spectral 
signature. Frontal locations can also be correlat- 
ed with the probability of the presence of marine 
life. Hence, data from the SeaWiFS sensor could 
be applied to this research and, if the research 
were successful, an operational Navy require- 
ment might result. 
Thermodynamic ocean models are being de- 
veloped for naval programs that require a knowl- 
edge of the absorption of solar heat by the 
ocean. The absorption in the near-surface layer 
and the dissipation of this heat are partially con- 
trolled by the diffuse attenuation coefficient, k, of 
the water. That is, the depth to which solar heat 
penetrates into the water column is inversely re- 
lated to the water's attenuation coefficient. The 
extent of this effect has not been determined, 
since the horizontal and temporal scales of varia- 
tion in water types are not known. However, pre- 
liminary studies have shown the effect of water 
type on resulting circulation and mixed-layer 
depth prediction calculations (Martin 1985). Sea- 
WiFS data will be used as an input into the Navy's 
thermodynamic model, although basic research 
will be required to determine how these data can 
be interpreted. 
