CHLOROPHYLL DISTRIBUTION IN LAKE KINNERET DETERMINED FROM LANDSAT THEMATIC MAPPER DATA

Chlorophyll distribution in Lake Kinneret was estimated at a time of l ow chlorophyll concentrations (3-7 mgm(-3)). Landsat Thematic Mapper ( TM) data were acquired three days after the acquisition of high spectr al resolution radiometric measurements in the range 400 to 750 nm, chl orophyll and suspended matter concentrations, and Secchi disk transpar ency at 22 stations. The radiometric data were used to create an algor ithm for estimation of chlorophyll concentration from the TM data. The radiance in channel TM3 (620-690 nm) was primarily dependent upon non -organic suspended matter concentration. Radiance in this channel was substracted from radiance in TMI (450-520 nm) to correct for the addit ional radiance caused by scattering of non-pigmented suspended particl es and (TM1-TM3)/TM2 was found to be a useful index for estimating chl orophyll concentration. The concentrations calculated from atmospheric ally corrected TM data were compared to chlorophyll extracted from lak e samples. The estimation error of chlorophyll concentration was less than water 0.85 mgm(-3).