| Title: |
Are the World's Oceans Optically Different?
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Online Source:
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doi:10.1029/2011JC007230
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| Author: |
Szeto, M.; Werdell, P. J.; Moore, T. S.; Campbell, J. W.
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| Abstract: |
Regional differences in the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view
Sensor chlorophyll algorithm uncertainty were observed in a large global
data set containing coincident in situ measurements of chlorophyll a
concentration (Chla) and spectral radiometry. The uncertainty was found
to be systematic when the data were sorted by ocean: Atlantic, Pacific,
Southern, and Indian Oceans. Artifacts associated with different
instrumentation and analytical methods had been previously ruled out.
Given these oceanic biases in the chlorophyll algorithm, we hypothesized
that the oceans may be optically different, and their optical
differences may be intrinsically related to regional differences in
phytoplankton community structure or biogeochemical processes. The
oceanic biases, originally observed using radiometric measurements, were
independently verified using total absorption measurements in a subset
of the data. Moreover, they were explained through oceanic differences
in the absorption of colored detrital matter (CDM) and phytoplankton.
Both effects were considered together in explaining the ocean biases
through a stepwise linear regression analysis. Significant oceanic
differences in the amount of CDM and in phytoplankton cell sizes and
pigmentation would give rise to optical differences, but we raise a
concern for the spatial coverage of the data. We do not suggest the
application of ocean-based algorithms but rather emphasize the
importance of consolidating regional data sets before reaching this
conclusion.
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| Collection: |
NASA |
| NASA Center: |
Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Publication Date: |
October 04, 2011
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| Publication Year: |
2011 |
| Document ID: |
20120009090
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| Subject Category: |
OCEANOGRAPHY |
| Report/Patent Number: |
GSFC.JA.6113.2012
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| Contract/Grant/Task Number: |
NNX08AG80A
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| Publication Information: |
Number of pages = 14
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| Language: |
English
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| Subject Terms: |
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY; BIAS; BIOGEOCHEMISTRY; CHLOROPHYLLS;
COLOR; OCEANS; PHYTOPLANKTON; REGRESSION ANALYSIS; SEA-VIEWING WIDE
FIELD-OF-VIEW SENSOR; SPECTRA |
| Accessibility: |
Unclassified; Publicly available; Unlimited; Copyright
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| Document Source: |
Other Sources
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| Updated/Added to NTRS: |
May 31, 2012
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