What is the connection between chlorophyll and SeaWiFS?

SeaWIFS (Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor) was a satellite-borne sensor designed to collect global ocean biological data. Active from September 1997 to December 2010, its primary mission was to quantify chlorophyll produced by marine phytoplankton (microscopic plants).

What does SeaWiFS measure?

SeaWiFS was designed to measure ocean color. This seemingly narrow measurement captures the fundamental biological activity at the ocean surface, the surging and depleting life cycle of phytoplankton, the microscopic floating ocean plant life.

How does Modis measure chlorophyll?

This algorithm returns the near-surface concentration of chlorophyll-a (chlor_a) in mg m-3, calculated using an empirical relationship derived from in situ measurements of chlor_a and blue-to-green band ratios of in situ remote sensing reflectances (Rrs).

Is SeaWiFS data free?

Any unique data products and services the sensor provides? NASA provides free public use of the SeaWiFS data and can be downloaded from multiple free data download sites.

Where are chlorophyll concentrations the highest?

polar waters
The highest chlorophyll concentrations, where tiny surface-dwelling ocean plants are thriving, are in cold polar waters or in places where ocean currents bring cold water to the surface, such as around the equator and along the shores of continents.

Which colors does chlorophyll primarily absorb?

Chlorophyll a absorbs violet and orange light the most. Chlorophyll b absorbs mostly blue and yellow light. They both also absorb light of other wavelengths with less intensity.

Does NASA have oceanographers?

NASA has been observing the oceans from space for more than 20 years. NASA launched Seasat, the first civilian oceanographic satellite, on June 28, 1978. The satellite carried five complementary sensors designed to monitor the oceans from space. a radar altimeter to measure spacecraft height above the ocean surface.

How do we measure chlorophyll from satellites?

Moderate Resolution imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua satellite is used in this estimation of oceanic chlorophyll. The satellite operates by collecting reflected wavelength energy daily from the earth as data; which is then converted via a chain of algorithms to chlorophyll concentration (Svab et al.

Is chlorophyll A?

Chlorophyll a is a specific form of chlorophyll used in oxygenic photosynthesis. It absorbs most energy from wavelengths of violet-blue and orange-red light, and it is a poor absorber of green and near-green portions of the spectrum….Chlorophyll a.

What is MODIS Aqua?

MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) is a key instrument aboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites. Terra’s orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in the afternoon.

How does MODIS work?

MODIS helps scientists determine the amount of water vapor in a column of the atmosphere and the vertical distribution of temperature and water vapor—measurements crucial to understanding Earth’s climate system.

What are the benefits of chlorophyll?

What is chlorophyll?

• stimulating the immune system.
• eliminating fungus in the body.
• detoxifying your blood.
• cleaning your intestines.
• getting rid of bad odors.
• energizing the body.
• preventing cancer.

What are the algorithms for ocean color chlorophyll?

Ocean color chlorophyll algorithms for SeaWiFS, Journal of Geophysical Research 103, 24937-24953, doi: 10.1029/98JC02160. O’Reilly, J.E., & 24 co-authors (2000). SeaWiFS Postlaunch Calibration and Validation Analyses, Part 3.

Where does the chlorophyll in the ocean come from?

Chlorophyll concentrations are derived from images of the ocean’s color. Generally speaking, the greener the water, the more phytoplankton are present in the water, and the higher the chlorophyll concentrations.

How does chlorophyll affect the color of water?

Generally speaking, the greener the water, the more phytoplankton are present in the water, and the higher the chlorophyll concentrations. Chlorophyll a absorbs more blue and red light than green, with the resulting reflected light changing from blue to green as the amount of chlorophyll in the water increases.

Where does the false color SeaWiFS image come from?

A false color SeaWiFS image shows a high concentration of phytoplankton chlorophyll in the Brazil Current Confluence region east of Argentina. Warm colors indicate high chlorophyll levels, and cooler colors indicate lower chlorophyll. SeaWiFS data are freely accessible from a variety of websites, most of which are government run.