Phytoplankton are tiny plants and algae that live in the upper sunlit layer of almost all water bodies on Earth. Despite their tiny size, they have huge populations in our ocean. They fuel the marine food web, all the way up to blue whales. Phytoplankton also produce oxygen that is vital to life on Earth.
Most phytoplankton are beneficial, but some phytoplankton species contain toxins that can be concentrated by filter-feeding organisms such as shellfish. Humans and animals can become ill or even die from consuming contaminated shellfish. These are referred to as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Satellites can play an important role in identifying where HABs occur.
Studying this incredibly diverse group is key to understanding the health – and future – of our living ocean. NASA's PACE mission is providing the first-ever global measurements designed to identify the composition of communities of phytoplankton from space.
Phytoplankton are tiny plants and algae that live in the upper sunlit layer of almost all water bodies on Earth. Despite their tiny size, they have huge populations in our ocean. They fuel the marine food web, all the way up to blue whales. Phytoplankton also produce oxygen that is vital to life on Earth.
Most phytoplankton are beneficial, but some phytoplankton species contain toxins that can be concentrated by filter-feeding organisms such as shellfish. Humans and animals can become ill or even die from consuming contaminated shellfish. These are referred to as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Satellites can play an important role in identifying where HABs occur.
Studying this incredibly diverse group is key to understanding the health – and future – of our living ocean. NASA's PACE mission is providing the first-ever global measurements designed to identify the composition of communities of phytoplankton from space.
Check out these recent results!
NASA Salinity | NASA Winds | ECCO | NASA PACE
