Sejal PramlallPhD student

About me

I am a PhD student in Marine Biology, with an interest in marine optics, oceanography, and satellite remote sensing. My PhD research aims to assess the effect of climate change on water quality in coastal and inland waters of the Baltic Sea and Lake Vänern using satellite ocean colour data. Ocean colour data is a useful tool to monitor the state of marine environmental conditions on large spatial scales, however retrieving accurate data from regions such as the Baltic Sea remains challenging due to the optically complex nature of these water bodies. In this project Sentinel 2 and 3 data will be validated using in situ optical measurements, focusing on improving algorithm performance and enhancing product reliability. A regional algorithm will be developed to retrieve in-water optical constituents such as Chlorophyll-a, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and colour dissolved organic matter (CDOM), with the aim of reducing uncertainties. This regional algorithm can then be applied to additional satellites to create a merged long-term time series from 1998 to present. This approach will provide crucial information on the ecological status of water bodies and the impacts of climate change on phytoplankton phenology in the Baltic Sea and Lake Vänern. Ultimately, the findings of this research will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the region's aquatic ecosystems and support effective strategies for environmental management.