SeaWIFS satellite ocean color data from the Southern Ocean

• Main Authors: Moore, Keith J., Abbott, Mark R., Richman, James G., Smith, Walker O., Cowles, Timothy J., Coale, Kenneth H., Gardner, Wilford D., Barber, Richard T.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic; Ice Sheet; Southern Ocean
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/70795911f

SeaWiFS estimates of surface chlorophyll concentrations are reported for the region of the U.S. JGOFS study in the Southern Ocean (∼ 170 °W, 60 °S). Elevated chlorophyll was observed at the Southern Ocean fronts, near the edge of the seasonal ice sheet, and above the Pacific ­Antarctic Ridge. The elevated chlorophyll levels associated with the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge are surprising since even the crest of the ridge is at depths > 2000 m. This elevated phytoplankton biomass is likely the result of mesoscale physical-biological interactions where the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) encounters the ridge. Four cruises surveyed this region between October 1997 and March 1998, as part of the U.S. JGOFS. Satellite-derived chlorophyll concentrations were compared with in situ extracted chlorophyll measurements from these cruises. There was good agreement (r² of 0.72, from a linear regression of shipboard vs. satellite chlorophyll), although Sea WiFS underestimated chlorophyll concentrations relative to the ship data.