Remote sensing retrieval of total suspended matter near tidal sand ridges off the coast of Jiangsu

Remote sensing retrieval of total suspended sediment was carried out in the tidal sand ridges off the coast of Jiangsu province by the utility of the total suspended matter (TSM) samples, remote sensing reflectance data investigated in 2003 and satellite NOAA/AVHRR data. The results show that: a robust linear relationship is established between TSM concentration and in situ remote sensing reflectance (R² = 0.9537, n = 39) and then TSM concentration is retrieved from the satellite images with better precision; the nearshore area have higher TSM concentration than offshore; TSM concentration has higher value in spring than in autumn and bigger horizontal diffuse range occurs in spring.