Kevin R. Turpie

• Doctorate of Philosophy of Geographical Sciences
• Professor (Associate) at University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Satellites are now routinely used for measuring water and land surface reflectance and hence environmentally relevant parameters such as aquatic chlorophyll a concentration and terrestrial vegetation indices. For each satellite mission, radiometric validation is needed at bottom of atmosphere for all spectral bands and covering all typical conditio...

Within the next decade, NASA plans to launch three new missions with imaging spectrometers for aquatic science and applications: Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) in 2024, Geostationary Littoral Imaging Radiometer (GLIMR) in 2026, and Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) in 2028. Taken together, these missions will evaluate long‐term tr...

The primary objective of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) mission is to measure biological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical features of the Earth's surface, realizing a key conceptual component of the envisioned NASA Earth System Observatory (ESO). SBG is planned to launch as a two‐pla...

Observations of planet Earth from space are a critical resource for science and society. Satellite measurements represent very large investments and United States (US) agencies organize their effort to maximize the return on that investment. The US National Research Council conducts a survey of Earth science and applications to prioritize observati...

The airborne lunar spectral irradiance (air-LUSI) instrument is designed to make low uncertainty measurements of the lunar spectral irradiance from an ER-2 aircraft from altitudes above 95% of the atmosphere. Measurements cover the visible and near infrared spectral region (350 nm to 1050 nm) and are traceable to the international system of units....

The objective of the airborne LUnar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) project is to make low uncertainty, SI-traceable measurements of the lunar spectral irradiance in the visible to near-infrared (VNIR) region from an aircraft above most of the optically absorbing components of the atmosphere. The measurements are made from a NASA ER-2 aircraft, whic...

The Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) investigation will create global maps of spectral surface reflectance and emissivity at a cadence of 16 days or better, with coverage to address global questions about Earth's geology, cryosphere and ecosystems. The revolutionary potential poses a commensurate challenge: creating contiguous maps free from regio...

National Academies' Decadal Survey, Thriving on Our Changing Planet, recommended Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) as a "Designated Targeted Observable" (DO). The SBG DO is based on the need for capabilities to acquire global, high spatial resolution, visible to shortwave infrared (VSWIR; 380-2500 nm; ~30 m pixel resolution) hyperspectral (imaging...

We have designed a non-imaging telescope for measurement of the spectral irradiance of the moon. The telescope was designed to be integrated into a wing pod of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration ER-2 research aircraft to measure lunar spectral irradiance during flight. The telescope and support system were successfully flown in August...

The airborne lunar spectral irradiance mission is an inter-agency partnership between the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology that aims to make SI-traceable measurements of lunar spectral irradiance at visible to near-infrared wavelengths with unprecedented accuracy. This inform...

The air-LUSI (airborne LUnar Spectral Irradiance) mission is a program jointly sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that aims to establish the moon as an absolute calibration source for space-based radiometric sensors. Integrated with NASA's high-altitude...

On-orbit calibration requirements for a space-based climate observing system include long-term sensor response stability and reliable inter-calibration of multiple sensors, both contemporaneous and in succession. The difficulties with achieving these for reflected solar wavelength instruments are well known. The Moon can be considered a diffuse ref...

This paper presents the mechanical design of a new robotic telescope that was designed and built to acquire lunar spectral measurements from the science pod of NASA's ER-2 aircraft while flying at an altitude of 70,000 feet (21.34 km). The robotic telescope used a double gimbal design that allowed for target tracking in azimuth and elevation. In ad...

Understanding the consequences of ongoing and rapid changes in the Earth system, driven by anthropogenic activities, requires novel observing strategies that span land, ocean, and coastal ecosystems. Recognizing this challenge, the US National Academies 2017 Decadal Survey recommended five Designated Observables to address science questions related...

This study presents the work developed as a CEOS action for which CSIRO and DLR taken the lead on a feasibility assessment to determine the benefits and technological difficulties of designing an Earth observing satellite mission focused on the aquatic (non-oceanic) ecosystems. I n fact, many Earth observing sensors have been designed, built and la...

The biodiversity and high productivity of coastal terrestrial and aquatic habitats are the foundation for important benefits to human societies around the world. These globally distributed habitats need frequent and broad systematic assessments, but field surveys only cover a small fraction of these areas. Satellite-based sensors can repeatedly rec...

Many Earth observing sensors have been designed, built and launched with primary objectives of either terrestrial or ocean remote sensing applications. Often the data from these sensors are also used for freshwater, estuarine and coastal water quality observations, bathymetry and benthic mapping. However, such land and ocean specific sensors are no...

Many Earth observing sensors have been designed, built and launched with primary objectives of either terrestrial or ocean remote sensing applications. Often the data from these sensors are also used for freshwater, estuarine and coastal water quality observations, bathymetry and benthic mapping. However, such land and ocean specific sensors are no...

The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) response to the Group on Earth Observations System of Systems (GEOSS) Water Strategy developed under the auspices of the Water Strategy Implementation Study Team was endorsed by CEOS at the 2015 Plenary. As one of the actions, CSIRO has taken the lead on recommendation C.10: A feasibility assessm...

The proposed Quantified Earth Science Objective (QESO) is to inventory and assess coastal and inland aquatic habitats, which are extremely valuable and productive regions that are vulnerable to global anthropogenic pressures and climatic change. Basic information about sessile communities (wetlands, coral reefs, and sea grasses) includes mapping th...

The proposed Quantified Earth Science Objective (QESO) is to inventory and assess coastal and inland aquatic habitats, which are extremely valuable and productive regions that are vulnerable to global anthropogenic pressures and climatic change. Basic information about sessile communities (wetlands, coral reefs, and sea grasses) includes mapping th...

The proposed Quantified Earth Science Objective (QESO) is to inventory and assess coastal and inland aquatic habitats, which are extremely valuable and productive regions that are vulnerable to global anthropogenic pressures and climatic change. Basic information about sessile communities (wetlands, coral reefs, and sea grasses) includes mapping th...

The proposed Quantified Earth Science Objective (QESO) is to inventory and assess coastal and inland aquatic habitats, which are extremely valuable and productive regions that are vulnerable to global anthropogenic pressures and climatic change. Basic information about sessile communities (wetlands, coral reefs, and sea grasses) includes mapping th...

Coastal and inland aquatic ecosystems support biodiversity, buffer human and animal habitats against storms and floods, and play a key role in the cycling of carbon, minerals and nutrients. Coastal wetlands support fisheries that provide food, livelihood, and recreation to roughly half of the global population. Inland waters provide critical freshw...

Traditionally, satellite instruments that measure Earth-reflected solar radiation in the visible and near infrared wavelength regions have been calibrated for radiance responsivity in a two-step method. In the first step, the relative spectral response (RSR) of the instrument is determined using a nearly monochromatic light source such as a lamp-il...

We investigated 32 net primary productivity (NPP) models by assessing skills to reproduce integrated NPP in the Arctic Ocean. The models were provided with two sources each of surface chlorophyll-a concentration (chlorophyll), photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), sea surface temperature (SST), and mixed-layer depth (MLD). The models were m...

The polarization sensitivity of the Visible/NearIR (VISNIR) bands in the Joint Polar Satellite Sensor 1 (J1) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument was measured using a broadband source. While polarization sensitivity for bands M5-M7, I1, and I2 was less than 2.5 %, the maximum polarization sensitivity for bands M1, M2, M3, an...

The NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) has continued monitoring the SNPP VIIRS on-orbit calibration since the derivation of the calibration for Reprocessing 2014.0 of the VIIRS ocean color data set. That calibration was based on solar and lunar observations through July 2014. Updates to the R2014.0 calibration include: 1) the addition of so...

During the first few years of the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) mission, the NASA Ocean Color calibration team continued to improve on their approach to the on-orbit calibration of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). As the calibration was adjusted for changes in ocean band responsitivity, the team also estimate...

The NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) developed two independent calibrations of the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) moderate resolution reflective solar bands using solar diffuser measurements and lunar observations, and implemented a combined solar- and lunar-based calibra...

Launched in late 2011, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) spacecraft is being evaluated by NASA to determine whether this sensor can continue the ocean color data record established through the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and the MODerate resolution Im...

Weekly estimates of ocean net primary production are performed using remote sensing data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra and Aqua spacecrafts. Two semi-analytic models are applied: the Vertically Generalize Productivity Model (VGPM) (Behrenfeld and Falkowski), which estimates production over the eupho...

A combination of a shallow water reflectance model and a canopy reflectance model was used to simulate the spectral effects observed as inundation levels increase in a largely erectophile marsh canopy. Information from the Lee shallow water in particular, helped explain the key spectral features observed during high water levels. However, the simul...

Interpretation of remote sensing reflectance from coastal waters at different wavelengths of light yields valuable information about water column constituents, which in turn, gives information on a variety of processes occurring in coastal waters, such as primary production, biogeochemical cycles, sediment transport, coastal erosion, and harmful al...

The NASA VIIRS Ocean Science Team (VOST) has developed two independent calibrations of the SNPP VIIRS moderate resolution reflective solar bands using solar diffuser and lunar observations through June 2013. Fits to the solar calibration time series show mean residuals per band of 0.078–0.10%. There are apparent residual lunar libration correlation...

In a previously published experiment, canopy reflectance spectrum was measured for three monospecific canopies as water level was artificially increased. As the water rose, spectral features appeared that could not be explained by the experimenters. To better understand their published results, a combination of a shallow-water reflectance model and...

VIIRS is being used by NOAA to routinely generate measurements of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, which are referred to as Environment Data Records (EDR). The ocean color EDR includes normalized water-leaving radiance (a measure of surface reflectance at 410, 443, 486, 551, and 671 nm), inherent optical properties (absorption and phytoplankton...

The NASA VIIRS Ocean Science Team (VOST) has the task of evaluating Suomi NPP VIIRS ocean color data for the continuity of the NASA ocean color climate data records. The generation of science quality ocean color data products requires an instrument calibration that is stable over time. Since the VIIRS NIR Degradation Anomaly directly impacts the ba...

Following the launch of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) spacecraft, the NASA NPP VIIRS Ocean Science Team (VOST) began an evaluation of ocean color data products to determine whether they could continue the existing NASA ocean color climate data record (CDR). The VOST...

The presence of water produces unique specular and spectral characteristics in an inundated tidal marsh canopy. The aquatic substrate can affect conventional attempts to retrieve canopy characteristics, such as structure information (e.g., canopy height, leaf area index, etc.) or plant species composition. The background reflectance can also influe...

This document suggests requirements for an advanced ocean radiometer, such as e.g. the ACE (Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystem) ocean radiometer. The ACE ocean biology mission objectives have been defined in the ACE Ocean Biology white paper. The general requirements presented therein were chosen as the basis for the requirements provided in this document, wh...

The first flight model of the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) will be launched on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite in October 2011. One of the primary geophysical variables to be retrieved from the VIIRS measurements is the skin temperature of the se...

For several years, the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) NPP VIIRS Ocean Science Team (VOST) provided substantial scientific input to the NPP project regarding the use of Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) to create science quality ocean color data products. This work has culminated into an assessment of the NPP project and the...

The VIIRS Ocean Science Team (VOST) has been developing an Ocean Data Simulator to create realistic VIIRS SDR datasets based on MODIS water-leaving radiances. The simulator is helping to assess instrument performance and scientific processing algorithms. Several changes were made in the last two years to complete the simulator and broaden its usefu...

The basic objective of the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) mission is to provide high- quality hyperspectral global observations to characterize a baseline of multiple Earth-surface processes at timescales ranging from seasonal to multi-annually. Among the HyspIRI science objectives, there are several questions that address aquatic ecosyste...

Hyperspectral and sophisticated multispectral imagery are increasingly used to obtain detailed information on species composition, condition, biomass, and other characteristics of coastal marshes. However, how differing levels of tidal inundation affect the reflectance characteristics of emergent marsh vegetation remains not well documented. In 199...

One of the roles of the VIIRS Ocean Science Team (VOST) is to assess the performance of the instrument and scientific processing software that generates ocean color parameters such as normalized water-leaving radiances and chlorophyll. A VIIRS data simulator is being developed to help aid in this work. The simulator will create a sufficient set of...

Measurements from space of normalized water leaving radiance (nLw) and chlorophyll a concentration have historically been an important part of ocean research and monitoring. Missions that included this objective, such as the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), had considerab...

Empirical equations are parameterized for use with chlorophyll a, derived from satellite ocean colour data, to calculate phytoplankton carbon production, phytoplankton new production, and export production. For environments in a high variance (HV) pigment statistical class, annual phytoplankton particulate organic carbon production (AIP) is linearl...

This study explores using a remote sensing technique based on imagery from multiple viewing angles that retrieves leaf area index (LAI) for coastal marsh vegetation. The method uses data from spaceborne instruments with high spatial resolution (~20 m) and multi-angular imaging, specifically the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Ra...

IntroductionModelling water column primary productionImportance of physiological variabilityA revised assessment of ocean productivityDirections for model developmentSummary

The third primary production algorithm round robin (PPARR3) compares output from 24 models that estimate depth-integrated primary production from satellite measurements of ocean color, as well as seven general circulation models (GCMs) coupled with ecosystem or biogeochemical models. Here we compare the global primary production fields correspondin...

This poster provides an overview of the work done by the NASA NPP Ocean Science Team to quantify the effect of radiometric errors on the retrieval of normalized water leaving irradiance (nLw), chlorophyll concentration, and inherent optical properties (IOPs). These quantities are currently planned Earth Data Records (EDRs) that are to be operationa...

We have used satellite colour data to classify ocean environments for monitoring interannual changes in the ocean. The unsupervised classification method is based on our observation that the frequency distributions of Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) annual pigment means and standard deviations are nonuniform and contain distinct clusters. The fre...

A web-based visualisation system has been developed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to facilitate the quality assurance (QA) of ocean data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra and Aqua satellites. The web interface is available to the public via the World Wide Web, thereby allowing users to browse the 40...

Ocean primary production (OPP) is defined as the rate of inorganic carbon uptake into the ocean biosphere, minus respiration. Biological processes can remove carbon from the ocean reservoir, providing an important potential sink for atmospheric carbon. This carbon flux into the ocean biosphere constitutes the base of the pelagic marine food web, di...

The FIRAS instrument on the COBE satellite has conducted an unbiased survey of the far-infrared emission from our Galaxy. The first results of this survey were reported by Wright et al. (1991). We report the results of new analyses of this spectral survey, which includes emission lines from 158 ¯m C + , 122 ¯m and 205 ¯m N + , 370 ¯m and 609 ¯m C 0...

The FIRAS instrument on the COBE satellite has conducted an unbiased survey of the far-infrared emission from our Galaxy. The first results of this survey were reported by Wright et al. (1991). We report the results of new analyses of this spectral survey, which includes emission lines from 158 um C+, 122 um and 205 um N+, 370 um and 609 um C, and...

Off-nadir radiometry can provide useful information about ground cover conditions, including vegetation structure parameters. It is hypothesized that remote sensing from multiple viewing angles could provide leaf area index (LAI) for coastal marshes. This poster introduces a study that focuses on possible methods of retrieving LAI using field measu...