The potential role of remote sensing in marine pollution monitoring

There are presently few remote sensors being applied in routine pollution monitoring of the oceans. Both passive and active remote sensors are being developed to measure the areal extent and thickness of oil slicks, and some of these should be operational within several years. However, remote sensing of oil dissolved in the water has not been investigated and is unlikely in this decade. Remote observations of water circulation and the movement of suspended solids in surface waters will probably be feasible in this decade. Remote monitoring of ocean dumping activities will be feasible soon, at least for certain wastes. The remote identification of optimum receiving waters within some dumpsites will be a realizable goal within several years. Large- and small-scale remote mapping of surface water chlorophyll distributions and surface phytoplankton ″color group″ distributions should be operational within a few years. The remote measurement of total dissolved organic carbon (DOC) may be feasible within 5 to 10 years, but it is unlikely that the identity of concentration of a pollutant fraction of the total DOC will be detectable until much later, if ever.