MODIS ocean color data has added a significant new capability for studying the abundance and distribution of phytoplankton chlorophyll. The relative levels of pigment concentrations of water masses, which compose eddies and other ocean circulation features has increased the utility of MODIS ocean color bands in open ocean and near coastal regions.

International MODIS/AIRS processing Package (IMAPP) was employed to derive level_1b calibrated data sets from MODIS PDS level 0 files. Earth-location was created using TeraScan software. TeraScan (SeaWiFS type) atmospheric correction procedures were employed to derive normalized water-leaving radiances. Chlorophyll pigments for MODIS was computed using at-launch bio-optical algorithms.

Comparisons of chlorophyll derived from MODIS with SeaWiFS have been excellent qualitatively. MODIS tends to underestimate Chlorophyll by 20% in some cases. We show examples of ocean chlorophyll derived from MODIS and its application to coastal waters for studying chlorophyll concentration and ocean circulation features.