{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T12:06:39Z","timestamp":1773921999635,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,23]],"date-time":"2012-01-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1327276800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A generic method was developed for analysing the capabilities of optical remote sensing of aquatic systems in terms of environmental components and imaging sensor configurations. The method was based on a component based model of the entire system in which not only benthic composition but other environmental components such as water inherent optical properties (IOPs), bathymetry, sun elevation, wind speed and sensor noise characteristics were defined by datasets with the potential to include across-image variation. The model was applied to data from Pacific Ocean reefs in an airborne sensor context to estimate the primary environmental or sensor factors confounding discrimination of benthic mixtures of key reef types: live coral, bleached coral, dead coral and macroalgae. Results indicate that spectral variation of benthic types and sub-pixel mixing is the primary limiting factor for benthic mapping objectives, whereas instrument noise levels are a minor factor.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs4010271","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,23]],"date-time":"2012-01-23T16:19:49Z","timestamp":1327335589000},"page":"271-302","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":100,"title":["Environmental and Sensor Limitations in Optical Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs: Implications for Monitoring and Sensor Design"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"4","author":[{"given":"John D.","family":"Hedley","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK"},{"name":"ARGANS Ltd., Tamar Science Park, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BT, UK"}]},{"given":"Chris M.","family":"Roelfsema","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Spatial Environmental Research, School of Geography Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2605-6104","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stuart R.","family":"Phinn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Spatial Environmental Research, School of Geography Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia"}]},{"given":"Peter J.","family":"Mumby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK"},{"name":"Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1007\/s00338-003-0364-8","article-title":"Satellite observation of Keppel Islands (Great Barrier Reef) 2002 coral bleaching using IKONOS data","volume":"23","author":"Elvidge","year":"2004","journal-title":"Coral Reefs"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1038\/35092617","article-title":"A bird\u2019s eye view of the health of coral reefs","volume":"413","author":"Mumby","year":"2001","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1007\/s00338-004-0382-1","article-title":"The cover of living and dead corals from airborne remote sensing","volume":"23","author":"Mumby","year":"2004","journal-title":"Coral Reefs"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.1016\/S0065-2881(02)43006-4","article-title":"Biological and remote sensing perspectives of pigmentation in coral reef organisms","volume":"43","author":"Hedley","year":"2002","journal-title":"Adv. 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