NOAA Coral Reef Watch Experimental Daily Near-Real-Time Light Stress Damage Product for the Caribbean Region

Metadata also available as - [Outline] - [Parseable text] - [XML]

Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
NOAA Coral Reef Watch Experimental Daily Near-Real-Time Light Stress Damage Product for the Caribbean Region
Abstract:
The NOAA Coral Reef Watch (CRW) Experimental Daily Near-Real-Time Light Stress Damage (LSD) product is part of CRW's near-real-time Decision Support System (DSS) for coral reef management that also includes CRW's operational twice-weekly global 50-km satellite coral bleaching thermal stress monitoring product suite. This DSS was initially implemented in 2000 and continues to provide updated monitoring information to the U.S. and international coral reef communities. The first version of the LSD product was launched on October 1, 2009 for the Caribbean region only. It was a pilot project based on preliminary research results on combined stress conducive to coral bleaching from both anomalously high light intensity (insolation) and temperature experienced by coral. Although web-based, the first version of the LSD product was password-protected and available only to project collaborators, for the period April 2009 to the present. The second, public version of the LSD product was released October 31, 2012 on the CRW web site. This metadata file provides information on the second version of the LSD product for both the most recent near-real-time updates and the archived product dating back to October 1, 2012. The experimental LSD product provides a measure of the combined light and thermal stress on the coral photo-system. As currently designed, the LSD product will provide a relative measure of these effects via an index. This index has values that are usually in the range of 0 to 5, but can be greater than 5 if accumulated thermal stress is excessive. Generally speaking, a value of 0 indicates that there is no accumulation of damaging stress, a value of around 1 indicates that stress has accumulated to significant levels and bleaching is expected to begin, and values of 2 or more indicate escalating severity of stress and associated bleaching. Severe bleaching and significant mortality are expected at or beyond an LSD value of 5. The LSD product is updated daily and presently has a resolution of 0.1 degrees. This will be increased to 0.05 degree resolution in the future. Temperature data used in deriving the LSD are the daily NOAA/NESDIS 0.1 degree resolution Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)-Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) blended SST product. The LSD is also produced using photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) derived from the NESDIS/STAR GOES Surface and Insolation product suite. Hourly PAR data from this product suite are summed to derive a daily total PAR. The daily PAR totals are then used to derive an anomaly product that measures acclimation of the corals to changing light levels from day to day. At this time, the LSD product is produced only for the Caribbean region on CRW's web site. Additional information on the SST used for this product is provided in each SST HDF data file, accessible at <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/hdf/index.html>. The LSD product, its detailed description, and available data formats and delivery mechanisms are accessible at <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/lsd/index.html>.
Supplemental_Information:
The product mentioned in this metadata file is accessible at: <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite>
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    NOAA Coral Reef Watch program, 20121031, NOAA Coral Reef Watch Experimental Daily Near-Real-Time Light Stress Damage Product for the Caribbean Region: NOAA Coral Reef Watch program, College Park, Maryland, USA.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -120.0
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -35.0
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.0
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 5.0

  3. What does it look like?

    <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/lsd/images/current/lsd_caribbean.png> (PNG)
    This is a dynamic image of the NOAA Coral Reef Watch Experimental Daily Near-Real-Time Light Stress Damage Product for the Caribbean Region, which is updated daily.

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: 01-Oct-2012
    Ending_Date: Present
    Currentness_Reference: Ground Condition

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Remote sensing image, web page

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Raster data set. It contains the following raster data types:

      • Dimensions 850 x 450, type Grid Cell

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.1. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.1. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal Degrees.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Grid Intersection
    There are 850 grid intersections in each row (at a pre-defined latitude) and 450 grid intersections in each column (at a pre-defined longitude). Each grid is 0.1 degree latitude by 0.1 degree longitude in size. The coversage is for latitudes from 5.0S northward to 40.0N and at longitudes of from 120.0W eastward to 35.0W. (Source: <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/methodology/methodology.html>)

    LSD image files in GIF format
    These are the image display of original LSD data. (Source: <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/lsd/index.html>)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:255
    Units:Index color values

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    NOAA Coral Reef Watch program
    Attn: NOAA Coral Reef Watch Coordinator
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NESDIS/STAR/SOCD Coral Reef Watch, NCWCP, E/RA3, 5830 University Research Court, 3rd Floor, Room 3222
    College Park, Maryland 20740
    USA

    301-683-3320 (voice)
    301-683-3301 (FAX)
    coralreefwatch@noaa.gov

Why was the data set created?

The NOAA Coral Reef Watch program seeks to fully utilize satellite-based observations, combined with in-situ data, to continually monitor for early indications of thermally-induced coral reef bleaching worldwide. A suite of monitoring and prediction products, including the product described in these metadata, has been developed by CRW as a decision support system (DSS) to provide critical and timely coral reef environment information to the U.S. and international coral reef communities.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    NOAA CRW Operational Near-Real-Time Global Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Product (source 1 of 2)
    NOAA/NESDIS Coral Reef Watch, 19970101, NOAA CRW Operational Twice-Weekly Near-Real-Time Global 50-km Satellite Nighttime Sea Surface Temperatures: NOAA Coral Reef Watch program, College Park, Maryland, USA.

    Type_of_Source_Media: data file
    Source_Contribution: The LSD product was derived from this SST product.

    NOAA Near-Real-Time Daily GOES Surface and Insolation Product Suite (source 2 of 2)
    NOAA/NESDIS/SATR, 20090401, NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Near-Real-Time Daily GOES Surface and Insolation Products: NOAA/NESDIS/STAR, College Park, Maryland, USA.

    Type_of_Source_Media: data file
    Source_Contribution: The LSD product was derived from these insolation products.

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: Not complete (process 1 of 2)
    The temperature data used in deriving the LSD are the current operational Coral Reef Watch satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data. The CRW SST product is a twice-weekly 50km (0.5 degree) product derived from night-time only data from the AVHRR polar-orbiting sensor. See the CRW web site at <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/lsd/index.html>, and suggested references listed above, for more information.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    NOAA Coral Reef Watch program
    Attn: NOAA Coral Reef Watch Coordinator
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NESDIS/STAR/SOCD Coral Reef Watch, NCWCP, E/RA3, 5830 University Research Court, 3rd Floor, Room 3222
    College Park, Maryland 20740
    USA

    301-683-3320 (voice)
    301-683-3301 (FAX)
    coralreefwatch@noaa.gov

    Data sources used in this process:
    • NOAA CRW Operational Near-Real-Time Global Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Product

    Date: Not complete (process 2 of 2)
    The photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is derived from the NESDIS/STAR GOES Surface and Insolation Product (GSIP) suite. Hourly PAR data from this product suite are summed to derive a daily total PAR. The daily PAR totals are then used to derive an anomaly product that measures acclimation of the corals to changing light levels from day to day. See the CRW web site at <http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/lsd/index.html>, and suggested references listed above, for more details.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    NOAA Coral Reef Watch program
    Attn: NOAA Coral Reef Watch Coordinator
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NESDIS/STAR/SOCD Coral Reef Watch, NCWCP, E/RA3, 5830 University Research Court, 3rd Floor, Room 3222
    College Park, Maryland 20740
    USA

    301-683-3320 (voice)
    301-683-3301 (FAX)
    coralreefwatch@noaa.gov

    Data sources used in this process:
    • NOAA Near-Real-Time Daily GOES Surface and Insolation Product Suite

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    The accuracy of the LSD product depends on the accuracy of NESDIS/STAR satellite SSTs and the NESDIS/STAR Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) Surface and Insolation Products (GSIP). Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) AVHRR-SST values used for creating CRW 50-km SST analysis fields were accurate to within 0.5 degree Celsius and adjusted by in-situ buoy observations to best-approximate SST at the depth of one meter. However, when producing a complete, gap-filled SST analysis with global coverage, estimation of SST at the pixels covered by cloud may occasionally reduce the accuracy of SST at these pixels. Information about GSIP can be found at <http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/land/gsip/index.html>.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    Users are referred to the following guide on AVHRR-derived sea surface temperature: Goodrum, G., K.B. Kidwell, and W. Winston, 2000, NOAA KLM USER'S GUIDE. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, National Climatic Data Center, Climate Services Division, Satellite Services Branch, FOB3, Room G227, E/CC33, 5200 Auth Road, Suitland, MD 20746-4304, USA. This manual is available online at: <http://www2.ncdc.noaa.gov/docs/klm/cover.htm>. To request additional information, contact: Telephone: (828) 271-4850, Telefax: (828) 271-4876, Email: satorder@ncdc.noaa.gov. Users are referred to the following web site on the GOES Surface and Insolation Products (GSIP), <http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/land/gsip/index.html>.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

    none

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    There is no spatial data gap existing in this data set. As an experimental product, this product undergoes continual development and refinement to determine the algorithm's best configuration. Any change in the algorithm or product presentation may incur reprocessing of the entire data set. Should this occur, an announcement will be posted on the CRW web site, and the metadata will be revised to reflect changes that take place. New near-real-time LSD products will be continuously added into this data collection at scheduled routine data update times.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    none

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints:
Not intended for legal use. Data may contain inaccuracies due to cloud cover and/or other reasons.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    NOAA Coral Reef Watch program
    Attn: NOAA Coral Reef Watch Coordinator
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NESDIS/STAR/SOCD Coral Reef Watch, NCWCP, E/RA3, 5830 University Research Court, 3rd Floor, Room 3222
    College Park, Maryland 20740
    USA

    301-683-3320 (voice)
    301-683-3301 (FAX)
    coralreefwatch@noaa.gov

  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Downloadable Data

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 28-Dec-2012
Last Reviewed: 21-Nov-2012
Metadata author:
NOAA Coral Reef Watch program
Attn: NOAA Coral Reef Watch Coordinator
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NESDIS/STAR/SOCD Coral Reef Watch, NCWCP, E/RA3, 5830 University Research Court, 3rd Floor, Room 3222
College Park, Maryland 20740
USA

301-683-3320 (voice)
301-683-3301 (FAX)
coralreefwatch@noaa.gov

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Generated by mp version 2.9.13 on Wed Jun 19 06:49:25 2013