| All systems nominal (SeaWiFS mission ended December 2010) NOTE: FTP connections must be made in PASSIVE mode |
Visually search the ocean color data archive. Directly download or order data from a single file to an entire mission. Simulated data from the upcoming Aquarius mission can be found here
Browse the entire global ocean color, sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity data sets for many parameters and time periods and download PNG images or digital data in HDF format.
Time series plots of selected SeaWiFS, MODIS and OCTS Standard Mapped Images for a set of selected regions or the entire globe.
Access to the complete data archive via an 'FTP-like' directory structure. Retrieval of data in bulk is possible with this new server.
Ocean Net Primary Productivity data products derived from MODIS and/or SeaWiFS data available from Oregon State University.
An easy-to-use, Web-based interface for the visualization and analysis of Earth Science data provided by the GES DISC DAAC.
A comprehensive image analysis package for the processing, display, analysis, and quality control of ocean color data.
An archive of in situ oceanographic and atmospheric data for use in algorithm development and satellite data product validation.
Northern Gulf of Mexico
One of the most documented dead zones on Earth is in the northern Gulf of Mexico in the summer when solar heating increases the buoyancy of surface waters thereby reducing mixing between the surface and the bottom. Phytoplankton -- powered by the same sunlight and fed by a rich nutrient broth flowing out of local rivers -- bloom, die, sink, and get remineralized by bacteria which use up all the available oxygen in the isolated bottom waters which then become dead zones.
The above view looking eastwards from Louisiana on the left towards northern Florida in the distance on the right was collected in winter when oxygenated water is more easily mixed down to the sea floor. The tell-tale tan and greenish-brown plumes from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers show that even though dead zones may not form in winter, transport of the suspended sediments that are usually accompanied by nutrients continues all year long.
You may click on the above Aqua MODIS image for a larger version. A still larger 7.3 megabyte version is also available.
Curator: OceanColor Webmaster
Authorized by: gene carl feldman
Privacy Policy and Important Notices
Updated: 15 July 2011