Harmful Algal Blooms and coastal pollution can impact aquaculture, tourism and human health. The colour of the ocean is directly linked to the components of ocean waters that determine water quality.
We intuitively understand what might be in water just by looking at its colour. This is something that’s long been investigated by those working on the sea, e.g. fishermen.
Blue ocean water usually contains very little beyond sea water itself, whilst brown waters may be full of sediments and dissolved substances from rivers, or the sea bed. Green water is full of life, in particular, tiny phytoplankton, the sea-dwelling equivalent of plants. These plants provide food for almost the entire marine food web, but they can also produce toxins, or cause anoxia when they form Harmful Algal Blooms.
Ocean colour can be measured from space, and in situ using radiometers. Sentinel 3a has a radiometer on board, the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI), which is now measuring the ocean colour for scientists to use to understand water quality.
Optional Mini Task:
You can learn more about Harmful Algal Blooms and how ocean colour validation is conducted by completing this LearnEO tutorial using ocean colour data and the BILKO software. BILKO can be downloaded here
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