Validation of GLI and other satellite-derived sea surface temperatures using data from the Rottnest Island ferry, Western Australia

An accurate platinum resistance thermometer (PRT) has been installed on a commercial ferry that operates between Hillarys Marina, some 15 km north of Fremantle, and Rottnest Island off the Western Australian coast. The PRT is located in the engine intake system and provides continuous under-way measurements of the bulk sea surface temperature (SST) at a depth of 1 m. The “SeaFlyte” ferry makes the trip to Rottnest Island between 3 and 5 times daily and so a wealth of data is available for comparison with the SST derived using data from the GLI instrument on ADEOS-II. Analyses of the ferry and satellite data confirm the excellent quality of SST estimates from the GLI as well as four other satellite instruments—AVHRR on NOAA-16, AATSR on ENVISAT, and the MODIS instruments on TERRA and AQUA. All satellite instruments showed a comparison standard deviation of better than 0.6°C with GLI being better than 0.4°C. The number of ferry-satellite data coincidences used in this study demonstrates one of the advantages of installing measurement systems on commercial ships that operate regular passenger or freight services rather than infrequent deployments on research vessels. The analyses also demonstrate that satellite-derived SST estimates obtained under low surface wind conditions must be treated with care.