Spectral identification of coral biological vigour

No quantitative means of remotely determining the biological vigour of a coral reef ecosystem exists. This renders consistent and replicable detection of coral health difficult. A quantitative index of submerged coral signatures would enable cost and time effective monitoring and management of coral reef resources, and would aid scientific studies of the extent and severity of coral bleaching. Principal components analysis is used to spectrally discriminate submerged bottom features, and broad band spectral albedos are used to estimate the SPOT and Landsat TM response