System Vicarious Calibration (SVC) is the fundamental process commonly implemented to meet uncertainty requirements in satellite ocean color data. It is performed by applying gain factors, g-factors, to the pre-launch calibration coefficients of the space sensor already corrected for sensitivity decay with time. Mission specific g-factors are determined from top-of-the-atmosphere data computed by propagating highly accurate in situ values of the water-leaving radiance, Lw, to the satellite sensor. Values of Lw from marine regions characterized by oligotrophic/mesotrophic waters and maritime aerosols, high environmental stability and spatial homogeneity, low cloudiness and absence of any source of land contamination, are essential to determine g-factors applicable to the creation of Climate Data Records (CDRs) from multiple ocean color missions. Accounting for the location of existing and potential new SVC fixed sites, marine regions satisfying SVC requirements for the generation of CDRs have been identified through the analysis of satellite data from recent ocean color missions.
Keywords: Ocean color; System vicarious calibration.