Satellite Evidence of Hurricane-Induced Phytoplankton Blooms in an Oceanic Desert

The physical effects of hurricanes include deepening of the mixed layer and decreasing of the sea surface temperature in response to entrainment, curl-induced upwelling, and increased upper ocean cooling. However, the biological effects of hurricanes remain relatively unexplored. In this paper, we e...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Babin, S. M., Carton, J. A., Dickey, T. D., Wiggert, J. D.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: ODU Digital Commons 2004
Subjects:
Phytoplankton
Hurricane wakes
Chlorophyll
Global change
Atmospheric Sciences
Oceanography
Remote Sensing
Curl
North Atlantic
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/ccpo_pubs/264
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1268&context=ccpo_pubs
Description
Summary:The physical effects of hurricanes include deepening of the mixed layer and decreasing of the sea surface temperature in response to entrainment, curl-induced upwelling, and increased upper ocean cooling. However, the biological effects of hurricanes remain relatively unexplored. In this paper, we examine the passages of 13 hurricanes through the Sargasso Sea region of the North Atlantic during the years 1998 through 2001. Remotely sensed ocean color shows increased concentrations of surface chlorophyll within the cool wakes of the hurricanes, apparently in response to the injection of nutrients and/or biogenic pigments into the oligotrophic surface waters. This increase in post-storm surface chlorophyll concentration usually lasted 2-3 weeks before it returned to its nominal pre-hurricane level.

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