POSTER SESSION 1
15:30–17:30, Monday, September 14
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ABSTRACT 1364 | POSTER 229
BIO-OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AN EXTENSIVE AND HISTORIC CYANOBACTERIA BLOOM IN THE HUDSON RIVER ESTUARY, NEW YORK, USA
In mid-September 2025, the largest and most extensive harmful algal bloom (HAB) in at least 40 years of historic monitoring occurred in the Hudson River Estuary, NY, USA. The bloom, confirmed to be composed of the toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis, was fueled by high temperatures and drought conditions and lasted several weeks, with the heaviest impacts observed near Kingston, NY, approximately 90 miles upstream of the New York-New Jersey Harbor. Comprehensive physicochemical, bio-optical and biogeochemical measurements (e.g., hyperspectral above-water radiometry, phytoplankton pigment analysis, microscopy, colored dissolved organic matter [CDOM] absorption and fluorescence, suspended particulate matter [SPM], temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH) were made during two research cruises covering the peak of the HAB event (September 18) and immediate post-bloom conditions (October 8). Here, we present the results of these in situ observations in conjunction with high-spatial-resolution satellite imagery (60 m pixels) of multiple water quality parameters (e.g., Chl-a, CDOM, and SPM) from Sentinel-2A/B/C MSI (atmospherically corrected with POLYMER), which effectively captured the initial formation, proliferation, and dissipation of the bloom from late August into early October. The combination of in situ observations and space-based monitoring provided valuable scientific insight into a historic regional cyanobacteria HAB event, including hyperspectral optical signatures and associated biogeochemical impacts, while highlighting the limitations and challenges of cyanobacteria HAB monitoring with existing multi-spectral satellite sensors.
Kyle Turner, The City College of New York, CUNY, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3682-1500
Maria Tzortziou, City College of New York, CUNY, [email protected]
Tong Lin, City College of New York, CUNY, [email protected]
Joaquim Goes, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, [email protected]
Shannon Roback, Riverkeeper, [email protected]
Christ Solomon, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, [email protected]
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