Pigment, Temperature and Wind Patterns at Two Mediterranean Sites

Satellite observations at two Mediterranean sites reveal the coupling of wind, temperature, pigments. The study, conducted at the monthly scale from 2000 to 2007, uses QuikScat wind speed to outline atmospheric forcing; AVHRR surface temperature to identify deep convection areas; and SeaWiFS pigment concentration to image the resulting algal blooms. At both sites, atmospheric forcing causes vertical mixing and nutrient upwelling from deep layers. As plankton growth in the otherwise oligotrophic basin is always nutrient-limited, the blooms triggered by these processes reflect the prevailing wind patterns (with variable time lags). The synergy between different sensors helps understanding cause-effect relationships in the marine environment.

BARALE Vittorio; 

2010-11-23

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC58177

http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC58177,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC58177,   

10.2788/8394,