Water Quality Determination Using GEE L8 and S2 Surface Reflectance Products

[Md Mamun]

Hello Good People,

Take my most profound gratitude. I hope you are doing well. I am Md Mamun and working in freshwater ecology and limnology area.

These days, I am reading many papers for the retrieval of algal chlorophyll, total suspended solids, water clarity and color dissolved organic matter and got confused about the atmospheric correction procedure of satellite images (Landsat 5, 8 & 9, and Sentinel 2 & 3).

Some people are using these atmospheric correction tools (ACOLITE, C2X, C2RCC, iCOR, C2X -COMPLEX NETS, Sencor2 etc. in SNAP) in satellite images to get aquatic reflectance values and then retrieving the algal chlorophyll, total suspended solids, water clarity and color dissolved organic matter.

On the other hand, Some people are directly using L8 and S2 surface reflectance values from Google Earth Engine to retrieve and develop an empirical model for chlorophyll –a (CHL-a) and water clarity (SD), CDOM, TSS?    

So, my question is, can we directly use the L8 and S2 surface reflectance values from Google Earth Engine to retrieve and develop an empirical model for algal chlorophyll, total suspended solids, water clarity and color dissolved organic matter.

If I use the Google Earth Engine L8 and S2 surface reflectance products directly to retrieve and develop an empirical model for algal chlorophyll, total suspended solids, water clarity and color dissolved organic matter, will be right or wrong?

I am waiting for your kind response.

Best regards

Md Mamun