Simulated true colour (GBR4 BGC v3.1 baseline)
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A key challenge with validating the BGC model is that the number of in-situ observations is very limited compared with the geographic scope and detail of the model. To help overcome this limitation the CSIRO eReefs BGC model simulates the light transport through the water based on the nutrients, plankton and suspended sediments. It uses this information to simulate what the ocean would look like if it were imaged by the NASA MODIS satellite. This allows the model results to be directly compared with satellite imagery to check its performance and skill.
This visualisation shows the estimated colour image as would be seen by the MODIS satellite, except with no clouds. While we don’t create a direct comparison with the MODIS imagery here on this site, you can view the MODIS imagery via the NASA WorldView browser.
Source data
The videos/images on this page are based on the 4km eReefs BioGeoChemical model (v3.1) (GBR4_H2p0_B3p1_Cq3b_Dhnd) run with SOURCE Catchments using Baseline catchment conditions. Detailed information about the model can be found in the paper: CSIRO Environmental Modelling Suite (EMS): Scientific description of the optical and biogeochemical models (vB3p0). The raw model data is available from the NCI THREDDS server (daily, in curvilinear NetCDF format) and the aggregate data from the AIMS eReefs THREDDS server (daily, monthly, yearly, in in regular rectangular grid NetCDF format).
Data span
These results are based on a fixed time period (Dec 2010 - Apr 2019) hind-cast analysis developed for comparing changes in land practices. The river run off used to drive the BGC model were provided by the SOURCE Catchments modelling.