THE PROBABILITY MAPPING INDEX AND OCEAN COLOR DATA
Robert T. O'Malley1,2, Toby Westberry1,3 & Mike Behrenfeld1,4
Spatial and temporal patterns of change in ocean color data can be used as indicators for the onsets of different
oceanic processes. Using NASA's archive of SeaWiFS and MODIS-Aqua data (both in excess of 10-year
continuous global coverage) a new metric has been developed to analyze how often an observed change in
various ocean color-derived products takes place on a pixel by pixel basis. Changes that occur once a year or
even once a month are readily detectable above baseline conditions, and the spatial patterns of those changes
help confirm the process identification. Working with spatial and/or temporal derivatives, it is possible to
calculate the empirical probability that an observed change has been met or exceeded over the satellite record
at any given pixel. The probability mapping index [-log10(prob)] makes it easy to visualize where lowprobability changes are taking place. This approach has been successfully used to detect the onsets of
infrequent submarine volcanic eruptions, based on their impact on the surrounding chlorophyll and backscatter
retrievals. Upwelling of nutrient rich, deep water is also examined using temporal derivatives of chlorophyll and
sea surface temperature. Eddy pumping, frontal systems, and topographic upwelling over seamounts can be
discriminated using this metric.
1 Oregon State University, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Cordley Hall 2082,
97331-2902
2 <omalleyr@science.oregonstate.edu>
3 <westbert@science.oregonstate.edu>
4 <mjb@science.oregonstate.edu>
Corvallis, OR