Gleeson, M.W. and A. E. Strong, 1995: Applying  MCSST to coral reef 
bleaching,  Adv. Space. Res., 16[10]: 151-154.           
               
ABSTRACT
 
In the 1980s and early 1990s, coral reef bleaching events of unprecedented
frequency and global extent were observed.  Elevated water temperature is
suspected as the primary causal stress of mass bleaching events from this
period.  The relationship between sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and
coral bleaching events was investigated using National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Multi-Channel Sea Surface Temperature
(MCSST) satellite imagery from 1982-1992.  Nighttime MCSST weekly averages
were compared with moored-buoy temperatures for sea-truthing the
satellite.  Average errors from 11 individual buoy comparisons throughout
the tropics were found to be approximately 0.5C.  Confirmed satellite SST
data were applied to bleaching events at Bermuda (1988, 1991), Tahiti
(1984, 1987, 1991), and Jamaica (1987, 1989, 1990), with a non- bleached
site off Belize selected as control.  MCSST data showed elevated SSTs
coincided with bleaching events both in onset and duration.  Bleaching
thresholds were developed.  An MCSST Degree Heating Weeks (DHW) bleaching
index was developed for the Belizean and Jamaican reef sites.  A
cumulative heating stress of 26 DHW is proposed as the threshold for mass
reef bleaching at Belize and Jamaica.