HR: 10:20h
AN: OS22B-01 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Colored Dissolved Organic Matter and its Influence on the Satellite-Based Characterization of the Ocean Biosphere
AU: * Siegel, D A
EM: davey@icess.ucsb.edu
AF: Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3060 United States
AU: Maritorena, S
EM: stephane@icess.ucsb.edu
AF: Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3060 United States
AU: Nelson, N B
EM: norm@icess.ucsb.edu
AF: Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3060 United States
AU: Behrenfeld, M J
EM: mjb@science.oregonstate.edu
AF: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2902 United States
AU: McClain, C R
EM: Charles.R.McClain@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 614.2/614.8, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AB: Satellite ocean color data enable the global assessment of the ocean biosphere through determinations of chlorophyll concentrations. However, ocean color is not a function of chlorophyll alone. We assess differences between two ocean color models with nearly identical validation statistics. The resulting chlorophyll retrievals show systematic differences which are consistent with each model's ability to account for the absorption of light by colored dissolved organic materials (CDOM). These differences are often large and approach 100% poleward of 40 degrees latitude. We conclude that the discrepancies are due to fundamental differences in model formulation and empirical tuning using geographically limited, in situ data. This source of uncertainty is important as the choice of ocean color model alters modeled rates of global net primary production by more than 30%. These results point to the need for new global satellite missions aimed for the accurate partitioning of light absorption between CDOM and phytoplankton.
DE: 4262 Ocean observing systems
DE: 4264 Ocean optics (0649)
DE: 4275 Remote sensing and electromagnetic processes (0689, 2487, 3285, 4455, 6934)
DE: 4855 Phytoplankton
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005