Remote sensing research on temporal and spatial variations of ecological environments and response for Tonga volcanic eruptions in South Pacific island countries

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1001-909X.2023.03.010

Abstract

Abstract:

The unique geographical features of the island countries in South Pacific, which are surrounded by sea and small in size, make most of the island countries in this region "ecologically fragile areas". Based on this, multi-source satellite data were used to monitor the marine ecological environment of Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands. It was also focused on whether there have been significant changes in the ecological environment of various countries before and after the Tonga volcanic eruption, to help to understand the impact of the Tonga volcanic eruption. The results show that: (1) In terms of temporal and spatial distribution of climatic states, the sea surface temperature and transparency of the surrounding waters of the South Pacific island countries maintain a relatively high level, while chlorophyll and net primary productivity decrease rapidly with the increase of offshore distance. (2) Warming, acidification and sea level rising are common problems faced by the sea areas of the four island countries. (3) The eruption of the Tonga Volcano has no significant impact on the coastal TSM mass concentration and SST. (4) The phenomenon of abnormally rising surface temperature and changed suspended matter mass concentration of the island in the first half month of the volcanic eruption has implications for disaster warning and forecasting using remote sensing methods.

Key words: marine ecological environment, South Pacific island countries, Tonga volcanic eruption, remote sensing, Sentinel-2, Landsat-8

CLC Number:

X834

GONG Fang, ZHU Bozhong, LI Teng, WANG Yuxin, LI Hongzhe, HE Xianqiang, ZHANG Qing. Remote sensing research on temporal and spatial variations of ecological environments and response for Tonga volcanic eruptions in South Pacific island countries[J]. Journal of Marine Sciences, 2023, 41(3): 101-114.

Figures/Tables 15

Fig.1 Location of Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Tuvalu (a) and relative distance from Tonga (b)

Tab.1 List of kilometer-level-resolution satellite data

序号	要素	选用数据时期	空间分辨率/km	卫星源
1	海表温度	1997—2018年	1	MODIS
2	海水透明度	1998—2018年	1	MODIS
3	叶绿素质量浓度	1997—2018年	1	MODIS
4	净初级生产力	2003—2018年	4	MODIS
5	pH值	2004—2018年	4	MODIS
6	海平面高度异常	1997—2018年	25	TOPEX/Poseidon、 ERS-1/2

Tab.2 List of high-resolution satellite data

卫星	分辨率/m	分析对象	区域	成像时间
Sentinel-2	10	岸线	洪阿哈阿帕伊岛	2021-12-03
				2021-12-08
				2021-12-13
				2021-12-18
				2021-12-23
				2021-12-28
				2022-01-02
				2022-01-07
				2022-01-12
				2022-01-17
		悬浮物质量浓度	帕劳	2021-12-25
			帕劳	2022-02-08
			马绍尔群岛	2021-12-29
				2022-01-01
				2022-01-13
				2022-01-16
			瑙鲁	2022-01-14
			瑙鲁	2022-01-24
			图瓦卢	2022-01-11
			图瓦卢	2022-01-21
Landsat-8	30	地表温度	洪阿哈阿帕伊岛及周边海域	2021-10-21
				2021-11-22
				2021-12-08

Fig.2 Climatic spatial distribution of ecological environmental parameters in the South Pacific Ocean

Tab.3 Location of sampling points and their changing rates of ecological environment parameters

采样点位置			生态环境参数变化速率
所属国家	经度	纬度	pH值/(a^-1)	海表温度 /(℃· a^-1)	海水透明度 /(m· a^-1)	海平面高度异常 /(m· a^-1)	叶绿素质量浓度/ (mg·m^-3· a^-1)	净初级生产力/ (mg·m^-2·d^-1· a^-1)
图瓦卢	177.94°E	9.26°S	-0.002 3	0.000 72	—	0.000 14	—	-0.12
瑙鲁	166.93°E	0.86°S	-0.001 2	0.000 60	0.01	0.000 13	-7E5	—
马绍尔群岛	171.14°E	6.7°N	-0.002 2	0.000 60	0.01	0.000 14	-5E5	—
帕劳	134.97°E	7.21°N	-0.002 0	0.000 75	—	0.000 20	—	—

Fig.3 Long term changes in marine ecological environment parameters of the surrounding waters in South Pacific island countries (The character“+” indicates significant statistical results, p<0.05.)

Fig.4 Comparison of the shoreline and area of the volcanic island before and after the eruption of the volcano

Fig.5 Distribution of TSM mass concentration in the surrounding waters of the volcanic island before and after the eruption of the volcano

Fig.6 Surface temperature of volcanic island and reference islands before the volcanic eruption

Fig.7 Distribution of TSM mass concentration in the surrounding waters of Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, and Palau before and after the volcanic eruptions

Fig.8 Percentage of SST changes (a) and its histogram (b) in the waters surrounding the South Pacific island countries before and after the volcanic eruption

Fig.9 Net primary productivity and its change in the waters around Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, and Palau before and after the eruption of the volcano

Fig.10 Histogram of net primary productivity and its change in the waters around Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, and Palau before and after the eruption of the volcano

Fig.11 Seawater transparency and its changes in the waters around Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, and Palau before and after the eruption of the volcano

Fig.12 Histogram of seawater transparency and its changes in the waters around Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, and Palau before and after the eruption of the volcano

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