Description: Chlorophyll is the major photosynthetic pigment, present in every phytoplankton cell, and hence used as an estimate of phytoplankton abundance. Ocean primary production due to these organisms afford nearly a half of the total global primary production. Entire marine food web and ecosystem health rely on these tiny organisms. Earth observing satellites provide a continous monitoring of this parameter.
Definition Expression:
Copyright Text: Monthly averaged chlorophyll concentration were calculated using archived measurements of MODIS-Aqua sensor from June 2002 to December 2011 data were acquired using the GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) as part of the NASA's Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC)
Description: Sea Surface Temperature is the water temperature close to the ocean’s surface, it plays a major role in ocean circulation and currents. Atmosphere dynamics and climate are also highly influenced by SST. Earth observing satellites provide a continous monitoring of this parameter.
Definition Expression:
Copyright Text: Monthly averaged SST were calculated using archived measurements between 1982 and 2008, AVHRR Pathfinder Version 5.2 data were obtained from the US National Oceanographic Data Center and GHRSST http://pathfinder.nodc.noaa.gov
Description: Nitrate is the major nutrient present in seawater. It is essential for the bioconversion of CO2 into organic matter by photosynthetic organisms.
Definition Expression:
Copyright Text: Yearly average was computed from data provided by by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center through the NASA GES DISC online archive.
Description: Iron is a micro nutrient essential for photosynthesis, although in trace quantities, its presence is necessary for phytoplankton growth.
Definition Expression:
Copyright Text: Yearly average was computed from data provided by by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center through the NASA GES DISC online archive
Description: Mixed layer is a layer in which active turbulence has homogenized physical properties some range of depths. Due to the heat capacity of seawater, a 2.5 m slab of this layer content as much heat as the entire atmosphere. This layer interchanges heat directly with atmospheric surface layer, acting as a driving mechanism for the climate system as well as ocean circulation.
Definition Expression:
Copyright Text: Yearly average was computed from data provided by by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center through the NASA GES DISC online archive.