Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye
Abstract Phytoplankton turn seawater green when their concentration increases. This allows us to monitor them using ocean colour. However, as the spectral properties of phytoplankton and their relationship with other coloured substances in seawater vary, subtle differences (anomalies) in ocean colou...
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Oxford University Press (OUP)
2024
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbae027 https://academic.oup.com/plankt/article-pdf/46/4/380/58697183/fbae027.pdf |
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croxfordunivpr:10.1093/plankt/fbae027 2024-09-15T18:40:33+00:00 Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye Brewin, Robert J W Dall’Olmo, Giorgio Dolan, John UK Natural Environment Research Council PICCOLO UK Natural Environment Research Council National Capability Long-term Single Centre Science Programme Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science UKRI Future Leader Fellowship Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation 2024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbae027 https://academic.oup.com/plankt/article-pdf/46/4/380/58697183/fbae027.pdf en eng Oxford University Press (OUP) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Journal of Plankton Research volume 46, issue 4, page 380-382 ISSN 0142-7873 1464-3774 journal-article 2024 croxfordunivpr https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbae027 2024-08-05T04:33:01Z Abstract Phytoplankton turn seawater green when their concentration increases. This allows us to monitor them using ocean colour. However, as the spectral properties of phytoplankton and their relationship with other coloured substances in seawater vary, subtle differences (anomalies) in ocean colour occur that can cause large errors in estimates of phytoplankton abundance. Identifying and understanding these anomalies is required to interpret ocean-colour data properly, but not all scientists have access to, or can afford, the in-situ instrumentation needed to do this. We show that practical, low-cost tools developed in the 19th century (a Secchi disk and Forel-Ule colour scale) can be used to quantify a colour anomaly in the Weddell Sea. Our findings imply that ocean-colour anomalies can be identified using affordable methods. Furthermore, records collected over the last century may contain clues on how ocean ecosystems have changed with climate. Article in Journal/Newspaper Weddell Sea Oxford University Press Journal of Plankton Research |
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Open Polar |
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Oxford University Press |
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croxfordunivpr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Phytoplankton turn seawater green when their concentration increases. This allows us to monitor them using ocean colour. However, as the spectral properties of phytoplankton and their relationship with other coloured substances in seawater vary, subtle differences (anomalies) in ocean colour occur that can cause large errors in estimates of phytoplankton abundance. Identifying and understanding these anomalies is required to interpret ocean-colour data properly, but not all scientists have access to, or can afford, the in-situ instrumentation needed to do this. We show that practical, low-cost tools developed in the 19th century (a Secchi disk and Forel-Ule colour scale) can be used to quantify a colour anomaly in the Weddell Sea. Our findings imply that ocean-colour anomalies can be identified using affordable methods. Furthermore, records collected over the last century may contain clues on how ocean ecosystems have changed with climate. |
author2 |
Dolan, John UK Natural Environment Research Council PICCOLO UK Natural Environment Research Council National Capability Long-term Single Centre Science Programme Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science UKRI Future Leader Fellowship Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Brewin, Robert J W Dall’Olmo, Giorgio |
spellingShingle |
Brewin, Robert J W Dall’Olmo, Giorgio Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
author_facet |
Brewin, Robert J W Dall’Olmo, Giorgio |
author_sort |
Brewin, Robert J W |
title |
Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
title_short |
Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
title_full |
Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
title_fullStr |
Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
title_sort |
ocean-colour anomalies quantified by the human eye |
publisher |
Oxford University Press (OUP) |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbae027 https://academic.oup.com/plankt/article-pdf/46/4/380/58697183/fbae027.pdf |
genre |
Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Weddell Sea |
op_source |
Journal of Plankton Research volume 46, issue 4, page 380-382 ISSN 0142-7873 1464-3774 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/fbae027 |
container_title |
Journal of Plankton Research |
_version_ |
1810484944781180928 |