Imagery

Outline Background on satellite imaging (5 mins) Activity 1: Ocean chlorophyll and sea surface temperature relationship (10-15 mins) Acitvity 2: Understanding algal blooms (10-15 mins) Discussion

Teaching standards Common core standards Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem Environmental science standards Describe interconnection between abiotic and biotic factors Next generation science standards Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may alter the ecosystem

Imagery Local patterns are easy to study Local processes carried out by microbes (i.e. oxygen production, nutrient cycling) combine to influence global cycles How do we monitor global patterns in primary production, chlorophyll concentration, temperature, etc.?

Satellite history 1957-Sputnik 1 first satellite successfully launched by USSR 1958-Explorer 1 first NASA satellite Discovered earth’s magnetic field 1964-Nimbus 1 One of the first observation satellites Took photographs of cloud conditions Since 1964, 40 satellite missions have been deployed and deactivated Sputnik I Explorer I

Satellites and oceanography More than 20 satellites currently in orbit What do they measure? Scatterometer to measure wind speed and direction Microwave radiometer to measure sea surface temperature Infrared radiometer to identify cloud, land, and water features Measure absorption to determine chlorophyll concentration

Satellite data Most provide real-time and historical data Free to use Easily accessible NASA Giovanni website http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni

Sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll in the oceans Ocean phytoplankton produce 50-85% of the oxygen on earth What factors regulate this productivity? Do you expect a relationship between global chlorophyll concentration (i.e. phytoplankton biomass) and temperature?

SST/chlorophyll relationship using satellite data Activity 1 SST/chlorophyll relationship using satellite data

Activity 1 Questions Is there a clear relationship between sea surface temperature and chlorophyll? What is this relationship and how does it vary across seasons? What factors might explain the relationship between these two variables?

Activity 1 expected outcomes Students should see regardless of season phytoplankton abundance is greatest in coldwater regions or along coasts.

Ocean currents Higher nutrient concentrations in coldwater regions can explain chlorophyll/temperature relationship What factors regulate the distribution of nutrients in the world oceans? How does nutrient concentration vary along a vertical gradient in a water column?

Ocean currents Mixing of warm and cold water currents bring nutrients to the ocean surface Are there other factors influencing nutrient distribution in the ocean? How are ocean currents created and what are some of the controlling variables?

Harmful algal blooms Runoff from land use leads to the formation of many blooms Complex environmental conditions initiating blooms still under investigation Visible from space

Activity 2 Harmful algal blooms

Activity 2 Questions Are there certain times of the year during which chlorophyll levels are high or low? Why? In general, what area(s) of the Gulf of Mexico have highest chlorophyll concentrations? Why?

Activity 2 expected outcomes Students should understand that land use patterns and runoff lead to algal blooms in coastal systems. They should also be able to describe seasonal patterns in algal bloom formation.