Establishment of a bio-optical database of Australian Waters by harvesting all bio-geochemical and bio-optical data from all the IMOS data streams (National Mooring Network, National Reference Stations, Ocean Gliders, Satellite Remote Sensing Ocean Colour - Lucinda Jetty) and from legacy databases (e.g SRFME/WAMSI, Great Barrier Reef Long Term Monitoring Program, Aquafin CRC, Port Hacking transect, Research cruises in the Southern Ocean) it is possible to establish an Australian Database of bio-geochemical and bio-optical data. This Satellite Remote Sensing dataset covers the southern oceans worldwide and Indonesian waters. The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) are providing some of the data to the bio-optical database. This activity aims to collate measurements undertaken prior to the commencement of IMOS by several members of the Australian biological oceanography community. This database is used to assess accuracy of Satellite ocean colour products for current and forthcoming satellite missions for the Australian Waters. The bio-optical database underpins the assessment of ocean colour products in the Australian region (e.g. chlorophyll a concentrations, phytoplankton species composition and primary production). Such a data set is crucial to quantify the uncertainty in the ocean colour products in our region. Further, it is essential to assessing new ocean colour data products generated for the Australian region. The contribution of such a database to international space agencies ensures that the accuracy of global algorithm developed for future sensors will increase for Australian waters as bias towards Northern Hemisphere observation will be reduced. The database contains biooptical data (i.e. HPLC, Chlorophyll by spectrophotometric methods, full spectral absorptions, TSS ) and in situ optical data (Vertical attenuation, water leaving radiance, reflectances, Atmospheric Optical Depth, spectral and single channel absorption and backscattering).
