Glossary

coral bleaching the exposure of the white calcium carbonate skeleton of the coral because of the loss of the symbiotic algae. Coral bleaching can be caused by disease, excess shade, increased levels of ultraviolet radiation, sedimentation, pollution, salinity changes, or increased temperatures.

hyperspectral scanners instruments that acquire multispectral images in many very narrow, continuous spectral bands throughout the visible and infrared portions of the spectrum.

infrared radiation solar radiation with wavelengths longer than that of visible light, between 0.7 to 3 um.

lidar instruments that transmit light to a target. The light interacts with the target and some of the light is reflected back to the instrument, where it is analyzed. The change in the properties of the light enables some properties of the target to be determined. The time for the light to travel to the target and back is used to determine the distance to the target.

phytoplankton small, aquatic, floating plant life.

pixels discrete picture elements, or little pieces of the entire image.

topography the relief or distance between high and low elevations.

visible light solar radiation with wavelengths within the range that the human eye can see, from about 0.4 um to approximately 0.7 um.

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Last updated March 08, 2004