Warm Core Ring Project 17 Sept. - 7 Oct., 1981
Warm Core Ring Project 17 Sept. - 7 Oct., 1981
Date
1983-02
Authors
Langton, Elizabeth W.
Phinney, David A.
Phinney, David A.
Linked Authors
Alternative Title
Citable URI
As Published
Date Created
Location
Northwest Atlantic
DOI
10.1575/1912/6974
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Keywords
Water masses
Ocean circulation
Marine biology
Chemical oceanography
Atlantis II (Ship : 1963-) Cruise AII110
Warm Core Rings
Ocean circulation
Marine biology
Chemical oceanography
Atlantis II (Ship : 1963-) Cruise AII110
Warm Core Rings
Abstract
Description
During the first cruise of the Warm Core Rings project aboard R/V
Atlantis II, our efforts were primarily concerned with measuring the
bio-optical properties of ring 81-D and the surrounding Slope Water in
support of remote sensing. The interdisciplinary nature of the program
also presented an appealing opportunity to focus our studies within the
framework of so many diverse research interests.
Phytoplankton are the foundation of the .biological system in the
oceans due to their ability to photosynthesize, to use light to produce
organic material. The passive connotation of the term "plankton": the
drifters, hardly applies to studies of light in the oceans as plankton
both affect, and are affected by, light. They are a major factor in
determining the color of the sea and there is great interest in ocean
color remotely sensed from aircraft or satellites. Groups of
phytoplankton containing different light harvesting pigments are
associated with various water masses, hence, warm core rings present
ideal situations where sharp contrasts in water masses, phytoplankton,
and ocean color can be encountered.
Through our observations of the horizontal and vertical
distribution of phytoplankton and their pigments concurrent with
observations of the submarine light field, we attempt to further our
understanding of the relationship between light and photosynthetic
organisms in the sea and our ability to remotely sense them.