The Ocean’s Turning Green (That’s Bad)

The video discusses the significance of ocean color as an indicator of ocean health and its link to climate change. It explains how particles and phytoplankton affect ocean color and the challenges in measuring chlorophyll levels. The video introduces Remote Sensing Reflectance (RRS) as a more reliable metric for assessing ocean color changes. It highlights the implications of these changes on climate models and the importance of monitoring ocean ecosystems.

What factor primarily influences the color of the ocean as perceived by human eyes?

• The temperature of the water

• The type of fish present

• The light absorbed and reflected by the ocean

• The depth of the ocean

Why is it challenging to collect consistent chlorophyll data from satellites?

• Chlorophyll is invisible to satellites

• Satellites can only measure temperature

• Chlorophyll levels are highly variable and satellites have different instruments

• Satellites are too far from the ocean

What is Remote Sensing Reflectance (RRS) used for?

• Tracking ocean currents

• Measuring ocean depth

• Assessing the overall color of the ocean

• Calculating sea surface temperature

How long has the MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite been collecting RRS data?

• 10 years

• 30 years

• 20 years

• 40 years

What trend has been observed in the ocean's color since 2002?

• The ocean has become redder

• The ocean has become bluer

• The ocean has become greener

• The ocean's color has not changed

What do the changes in ocean color potentially indicate about the ocean's ecosystems?

• A decrease in ocean depth

• A change in the distribution and amount of plankton

• An increase in ocean salinity

• A decrease in ocean temperature

Why is it important to monitor changes in the ocean's carbon storage system?

• To measure ocean salinity

• To assess the ocean's role in mitigating climate change

• To understand the impact on global fisheries

• To predict weather patterns