I even tried asking USGS who maintains Landsat 8 but they didn't give any satisfactory reply other than pointing to a link of an algal bloom in Lake Erie. I can imagine the original architects of L8 are sitting somewhere in JPL/Caltech from where you are. Band 1 of L8 seems quite comparable to band 9 of MODIS. Thanks for your answer Felix. Kindly share if you have any related research article.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=84125&src=nha. 

http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/specifications.php

Hi James,

There is an upcoming special issue in Remote Sensing on the calibration and characterization of the two sensors on Landsat 8. The papers are currently in review, so hopefully the issue will be published soon. If you need information on the calibration of OLI and TIRS, this will be a good reference.

http://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing/special_issues/landsat8

Hi James,

I am wondering why you wish use so short band for Chlorophyll retrieval in coastal waters? Usually impact of nonchlorophyllous particulate matter and organic substances is so high in these waters that using the green wavelengths is very problematic. It seems that using the red and near infrared bands is much more encouraging for this aim, and there is a big literature on this issue. Probably MERIS here is the best choice; see, for example, our papers:

- Sokoletsky, L. G., R. S. Lunetta, M. S. Wetz, and H. W. Paerl. Assessment of the water quality components in turbid estuarine waters based on radiative transfer approximations. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences. 60(1-2): 209-229 (2012).

- Sokoletsky, L. G., R. S. Lunetta, M. S. Wetz, and H. W. Paerl. MERIS retrieval of water quality components in the turbid Albemarle-Pamlico Sound Estuary, USA. Remote Sensing. 3(4): 684-707 (2011).

Dear Leonid, thank you for your answer. My question is related to all the potential applications of Band1 in Landsat 8 in combination with other bands and not specifically restricted to chlorophyll retrieval in coastal waters. Since my research interest lies in coastal and near shore processes I'm exploring all possible and helpful satellite data in this context. As coastal band in L8 is designed for studying coastal/aerosol content, I'm keen on learning its full capabilities. Nevertheless the papers which you have mentioned sounds interesting. I perceive that these papers are quite relevant for my subject too. Kindly share these papers.

Dear James,

Thanks for your very clear answer!

You are more than welcome!

Dear James,

These bands are clearly dedicated to ocean color observation, as well as absorbing aerosols. You can read the following paper which is very instructive, and where the different used algorithms are well defined: Turbid wakes associated with offshore wind turbines observed with Landsat 8. Quinten Vanhellemont, Kevin Ruddick.

Remote Sensing of Environment

Volume 145, 5 April 2014, Pages 105–115

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034425714000224

Just an Idea:

Usually nLw555 nm is used for detecting  runoff plume of sediment in the coast. However, as L8 B1 sensor has a shorter wavelength it may be useful to detect older traces of runoff plume or how the plume sinks after a while. This is due to fresh plumes reflect more light at longer wavelengths than older plumes. (F. Lahet & D. Stramski 2010) (link below)

Hope it helps

Mauricio

http://www.mpl.ucsd.edu/people/dstramski/65_Lahet.pdf#bib19)

Article Stormwater runoff plumes observed by SeaWiFS radiometer in t...

Article River plume patterns and dynamics within the Southern California Bight

Article Seasonal variability of turbid river plumes off central Chil...

Dear Dr. Hubert, this is an excellent research paper link which you have provided by Vanhellemont & Ruddick. Precisely what I have been looking for. I have started following your updates. I see that you have also done some work in 'ocean color remote sensing'. Are you still associated with the coastal water study in Hanoi? Thank you so much for your pertinent answer. 

Dear Dr. Mauricio, you have a very keen sense of observation. This is a brilliant idea. Thank you for this first-rate research paper. Those guys in Scripps have been doing some great quality research. I am deeply thankful for your efforts in putting together these significant research papers related to S.California bight and Chile's river plumes. Have you also been doing your research in Chile area?

These are some of the finest answers I've received so far for my question. Since I am just a budding researcher my motivation has always come from being able to observe things by 'standing on the shoulders of giants' like you. Therefore I will be indebted if you have any advice, suggestions or recommendations in order for me to do some quality research which would be beneficial for humans and mother nature alike. Right now I'm at the stage of collecting and examining closely relevant research papers related to remote sensing of coastal regions, all the possible threats which might range from small-scale sand erosion to mighty coastal hazards and the prospect of planning mitigation measures along with analyzing pre and post disaster scenarios for coastal resilience. Conservation of biodiversity in these regions is another area of concern for me.

Dear James,

Thanks for your answer. You can start reading the chapter below about the new advances and challenges in ocean color remote sensing of coastal waters, as well as the paper on Mekong which show how we can combine different information from remote sensing to assess the impact of natural and human impact on coastal areas.

welcome in this very exiting field of research

best

hubert

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248010322_Challenges_and_New_Advances_in_Ocean_Color_Remote_Sensing_of_Coastal_Waters?ev=prf_pub

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263092883_Variability_of_suspended_particulate_matter_concentration_in_coastal_waters_under_the_Mekong%27s_influence_from_ocean_color_%28MERIS%29_remote_sensing_over_the_last_decade

Chapter Challenges and New Advances in Ocean Color Remote Sensing of...

Article Variability of suspended particulate matter concentration in...

Thanks James

I'm not really involved on satellite image processing. My research field is morphodynamics of coastal environments. Right now I'm working with video cameras, like Argus system, but I would like to work with both, doing long term and short term morphodynamics analysis of coastal inlets, so I'm interés tiñes on any research out come that may come out from your research

Best regards

Thank you Dr. Hubert for sharing the links of those two research papers. I'll definitely go through them. These papers will be quite useful for my studies.

Dr. Mauricio, morphodynamics of coastal environments is an interesting field and is also broadly related to my research interests too. I believe before employing remote sensing and image processing techniques it is good to have a strong practical and theoretical foundation in the domain of interest. Therefore, I would also like to build a strong base in these spheres. Thanks for sharing your research interests.

Making more sense out of the coastal blue band: On 22nd August, 2014 the NASA's earthobservatory website disseminated some findings of John Schott and colleagues at the Rochester Institute of Technology. An excerpt from the webpage, "Beyond the blue of that water, Schott and his colleagues are paying close attention to three colors—green, yellow, and gray—to decipher what’s floating in Lake Ontario. Green wavelengths indicate the presence of chlorophyll, the molecule found not only in land plants but also algae and other phytoplankton. Yellow usually hints at the presence of decaying plant matter. Grays come from airborne particulates like dust and soil, or from dead algae that have lost their chlorophyll." A stimulating revelation. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=84218&src=fb

same here .I am also trying to find  relation between band 1 and band 4 for aerosol studies. STILL NO LUCK