Primary productivity derived from ocean color remote sensing

Ocean color remote sensing provide routine, synoptic observations of the ocean surface at spatial and temporal resolutions not attainable by moored or ship-based platforms. Ocean color sensors measure the spectral distribution of reflected sunlight, which can be used to infer the contents of the water, including chlorophyll a concentrations, a proxy for phytoplankton biomass. Phytoplankton are the base of the marine food web and are critical regulators of key biogeochemical processes. Primary productivity esimates are modeled using chlorophyll a, photosynthetic available radiation, and sea surface temperature.