Assessing temporal trends in ocean transparency using GlobColour products from the Copernicus Marine Service and accounting for associated uncertainties

Prat, Aurélien; Bretagnon, Marine; Bryère, Philippe; Jutard, Quentin; Mangin, Antoine

doi:10.5194/sp-7-osr10-10-2026

Articles | Volume 7-osr10

https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-7-osr10-10-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Report:

10th edition of the Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR10)

https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-7-osr10-10-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 7-osr10

30 Sep 2026

| OSR10 | Chapter 2.7

| 30 Sep 2026 | OSR10 | Chapter 2.7

Assessing temporal trends in ocean transparency using GlobColour products from the Copernicus Marine Service and accounting for associated uncertainties

Aurélien Prat, Marine Bretagnon, Philippe Bryère, Quentin Jutard, and Antoine Mangin

Data sets

North Atlantic Ocean Colour Plankton, Reflectance, Transparency and Optics MY L3 daily observations EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00286

Global Ocean Colour (Copernicus-GlobColour), Bio-Geo-Chemical, L3 (daily) from Satellite Observations (1997-ongoing) EU Copernicus Marine Service Product https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00280

Short summary

This study explores changes in water transparency across diverse marine environments. Satellite and river measurements were analyzed while accounting for uncertainties to provide reliable results. Estuaries displayed reduced clarity during high river flows, whereas offshore and tropical waters stayed stable. The study highlights the importance of combining satellite observations, uncertainty estimates, and on-site measurements for reliable monitoring of water clarity and ecosystem health.