The Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) on Board ESA’s ENVISAT provides spectral high resolution image data in the visible-near infrared spectral region (412-900 nm) at a spatial resolution of 300 m. For more details on ENVISAT and MERIS see http://envisat.esa.int/

Spectral high resolution measurements allow to assess different water constituents in optically complex case-2 waters (IOCCG, 2000). The main groups of constituents are Chlorophyll, corresponding to living phytoplankton, suspended minerals or sediments and dissolved organic matter. They are characterised by their specific inherent optical properties, in particular scattering and absorption spectra.

The Baltic Sea Water Constituents product was developed in a co-operative effort of DLR (Remote Sensing Technology Institute IMF, German Remote Sensing Data Centre DFD), Brockmann Consult (BC) and Baltic Sea Research Institute (IOW) in the frame of the MAPP project (MERIS Application and Regional Products Projects). The data are processed on a regular (daily) basis using ESA standard Level-1 and -2 data as input and producing regional specific value added Level-3 products. The regular data reception is realised at DFD ground station in Neustrelitz.

For more details the reader is referred to

http://wdc.dlr.de/sensors/meris/ and http://wdc.dlr.de/sensors/meris/documents/Mapp_ATBD_final_i3r0dez2001.pdf

This product provides monthly maps.