USE OF AN ANALYTICAL MODEL TO DETERMINE THE PRIMARY PRODUCTION FROM SATELLITE DATA IN A COASTAL UPWELLING ENVIRONMENT

Spectral models of solar irradiance in the atmosphere and underwater a re combined with satellite ocean colour data to determine the water co lumn integrated daily rate of primary production in an upwelling centr e off the coast of Mauritania. The local algorithm of primary producti on is based on first principles of photosynthetic physiology in marine algae, and accounts for some optical characteristics of the atmospher e over various marine environments. The results (integrated daily rate of primary production) are shown for different computational schemes, including the segmentation of the studied area into several provinces , each of them having a proper set of bio-optical and meteorological p arameters. Some examples are given to illustrate the validation of the model results with other in situ and theoretical studies in the same area.