Application of satellite data for investigation of dynamic processes in inland water bodies: Lake Shira (Khakasia, Siberia), a case study

This work describes avenues to use satellite information to analyse dynamic processes in aquatic ecosystems. Information for this analysis, was retrieved from AVHRR satellite sensor data. This information consisteds of time series of images of radiation temperature and turbidity. We expect this information will be of great value in analysing inland water bodies. Methods to process satellite information using original software and data processing techniques are proposed. For the investigation of the process and analyses of satellite information Shira Lake (Khakasia, Siberia) was used as a case study. To study the variability of the surface temperature and turbidity of the Lake in summer, the satellite and ground-truth data of the lake was applied. This study represents the first evaluation of the dynamic processes for Lake Shira based on satellite, ground-truth and modelling data. We developed algorithms and software to process satellite images to enable the reconstruction of time dependence of temperature and spectral reflectance of water bodies in the visible range, and to make computer-animated films visualising the spatial and temporal dynamics of the study parameters. The analyses of morphometric, meteorological and hydrological characteristics of Lake Shira have provided a realistic opportunity for processing the satellite information and to develop numerical models of variability of the hydrological regime of the lake. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of systematically retrieving the spatial information from the satellite data on the dynamics of the surface water temperature and of the suspended matter in the lake.