Abstract
The MERIS MCI (Maximum Chlorophyll Index), measuring the radiance peak at 709 nm in water-leaving radiance, indicates the presence of a high surface concentration of chlorophyll ${\underline{a}}$ against a scattering background. The index is high in 'red tide' conditions (intense, visible, surface, plankton blooms), and is also raised when aquatic vegetation is present. A bloom search based on MCI has resulted in detection of a variety of events in Canadian, Antarctic and other waters round the world, as well as detection of extensive areas of pelagic vegetation (Sargassum spp.), previously unreported in the scientific literature. Since June 1 2006, global MCI composite images, at a spatial resolution of 5 km, are being produced daily from all MERIS (daylight) passes of Reduced Resolution (RR) data. The global composites significantly increase the area now being searched for events, though the reduced spatial resolution may cause smaller events to be missed. This paper describes the composites and gives examples of plankton bloom events that they have detected. It also shows how the composites show the effect of the South Atlantic Anomaly, where cosmic rays affect the MERIS instrument.