MERIS: plankton blooms

Phytoplankton are the base of the marine food chain, and play a huge role in the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the production of oxygen in the oceans. Different types and quantities of phytoplankton exhibit different colours. The MERIS instrument on Envisat can monitor these algal blooms. Once a bloom begins, the ocean colour sensor can make an initial identification of its chlorophyll pigment, and therefore its species and toxicity. Since phytoplankton are sensitive to environmental changes, it is important to monitor and model them for climate change calculations and to identify potentially harmful blooms.