Chlorophyll Concentration (NASA, Monthly)

The Chlorophyll Concentration dataset shows global near-real-time concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the ocean. Concentrations are presented in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3). Chlorophylls are pigments found in photosynthetic plants that transform sunlight into energy. Chlorophyll-a is a certain type of chlorophyll found in green plants and is responsible for their green hues. Chlorophyll-a concentration in the ocean is used as a way of measuring phytoplankton. High concentrations of chlorophyll-a indicate a large amount, or bloom, of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are small floating plants that form at the surface of the ocean. Chlorophyll-a concentrations were derived from data measured by a remote sensor aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aqua satellite. Satellite data was collected daily at a spatial resolution of 1 kilometer (km) and averaged at the end of each month.

Chlorophyll concentration maps provide valuable information about the health of the oceans and Earth's climate system. They can be used to measure changes in oceanic productivity and model the Earth’s carbon and nitrogen cycles. The near real-time data is particularly useful for tracing oceanographic currents, jets and plumes. Most phytoplankton blooms are a sign of good ocean health, such as the large blooms that occur in the North Atlantic Ocean every spring. As they grow, phytoplankton take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which could have a positive impact on climate change. However, some phytoplankton blooms can grow out of control into harmful algal blooms. As phytoplankton rapidly die and decay, they can rob the ocean of oxygen and create dead zones where fish and other marine organisms cannot survive.

The Chlorophyll Concentration dataset is a combination of work from several organizations within NASA [https://www.nasa.gov/]. The Aqua satellite and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [https://aqua.nasa.gov/] instrument are managed by NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) Project Science Office [https://eospso.nasa.gov/]. Satellite data is processed by NASA’s Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) [https://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/] and satellite imagery is generated by NASA Earth Observations (NEO) [https://neo.gsfc.nasa.gov/]. Collectively, these groups work towards improving the understanding of the Earth as a system by providing a picture of climate and environmental changes as they occur.

Data and Resources

This dataset has no data

Additional Info

Field	Value
Source	https://app.mapx.org/static.html?views=MX-8H35N-B03OK-C35YT&zoomToViews=true#JAAc6
Author	UNEP/GRID-Geneva
Maintainer	UNEP/GRID-Geneva
Last Updated	December 7, 2022, 08:17 (UTC)
Created	December 7, 2022, 08:17 (UTC)
GUID	MX-8H35N-B03OK-C35YT
Issued	2022-03-22 20:00:20
Language	EN
Modified	2022-04-28 15:15:08
Publisher email	info@mapx.org
Publisher name	UNEP/GRID-Geneva
Theme	Web Map
data_type	geospatial
keywords_m49	WLD
projects_description	This project was set up in the frame of the implementation of the Cartagena Convention Secretariat’s 2020/2021 work plan and budget approved by the Sixteenth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region held from July 28-30, 2021
projects_id	MX-L2W-HWZ-RIC-LM1-Y0V
projects_title	Caribbean Sea and Wider Caribbean Region
range_end_at_year	2022
range_start_at_year	2002
source_abstract	The Chlorophyll Concentration dataset shows global near-real-time concentrations of chlorophyll-a in the ocean. Concentrations are presented in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3). Chlorophylls are pigments found in photosynthetic plants that transform sunlight into energy. Chlorophyll-a is a certain type of chlorophyll found in green plants and is responsible for their green hues. Chlorophyll-a concentration in the ocean is used as a way of measuring phytoplankton. High concentrations of chlorophyll-a indicate a large amount, or bloom, of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are small floating plants that form at the surface of the ocean. Chlorophyll-a concentrations were derived from data measured by a remote sensor aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aqua satellite. Satellite data was collected daily at a spatial resolution of 1 kilometer (km) and averaged at the end of each month. Chlorophyll concentration maps provide valuable information about the health of the oceans and Earth's climate system. They can be used to measure changes in oceanic productivity and model the Earth’s carbon and nitrogen cycles. The near real-time data is particularly useful for tracing oceanographic currents, jets and plumes. Most phytoplankton blooms are a sign of good ocean health, such as the large blooms that occur in the North Atlantic Ocean every spring. As they grow, phytoplankton take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which could have a positive impact on climate change. However, some phytoplankton blooms can grow out of control into harmful algal blooms. As phytoplankton rapidly die and decay, they can rob the ocean of oxygen and create dead zones where fish and other marine organisms cannot survive. The Chlorophyll Concentration dataset is a combination of work from several organizations within NASA [https://www.nasa.gov/]. The Aqua satellite and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [https://aqua.nasa.gov/] instrument are managed by NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) Project Science Office [https://eospso.nasa.gov/]. Satellite data is processed by NASA’s Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) [https://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/] and satellite imagery is generated by NASA Earth Observations (NEO) [https://neo.gsfc.nasa.gov/]. Collectively, these groups work towards improving the understanding of the Earth as a system by providing a picture of climate and environmental changes as they occur.
source_title	Chlorophyll Concentration (NASA, Monthly)
spatial	WLD