CoastWatch is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program that provides remotely sensed satellite data to government decision-makers and academic researchers. CoastWatch data is used in a variety of ways including: monitoring sea surface temperatures, studying fish and marine mammal distribution, and aiding in atmospheric forecasting. Studying and monitoring sea surface temperature is very important. Sea surface temperature aids in monitoring coral reef, fisherman decision-making, and the study of other earth system science phenmenna.

      The CoastWatch Validation Study team conducted research to determine the reliability and accuracy of Coast Watch. To conduct this study CoastWatch software, AVHRR datasets, and ground truthing were utilized. AVHRR composites were also created and analyzed. Those composites were then compared to data collected from various sources one being the Field Research Facility (FRF. FRF is a coastal and hydraulic facility located in Duck, North Carolina. They conduct research on a variety of activities including coastal dynamics, sediment transport, long-term beach evolution, and measurement techniques.