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MODIS Sea Surface Temperature from 2002 to 2006 around Australia
A recent study indicates there is a correlation between ocean nutrients and changes in sea surface temperature (SST). The results show that when ocean water warms, marine plant life in the form of microscopic phytoplankton tend to decline. When water cools, plant life flourishes. Changes in phytoplankton growth influence fishery yields and the amount of carbon dioxide the oceans remove from the atmosphere. This could have major implications on the future of our ocean's food web and how it relates to climate change.

The temperature data in this visualization comes from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft.

In order to see the correlation between SST and SeaWiFS data, this animation can be compared to 'SeaWiFS Biosphere Data over Australia'. Please click here to see this other animation.


This animation shows a 32-day moving average of SST data around the world and around Australia. This data continuously loops from July 4, 2002 to October 23, 2006.    This animation shows a 32-day moving average of SST data around the world and around Australia. This data continuously loops from July 4, 2002 to October 23, 2006.
Duration: 2.7 minutes
Available formats:
  1280x720 (30 fps) Frames (Australian Sea Surface Temperatures)
  1280x720 (60 fps) Frames (Australian Sea Surface Temperatures)
  320x180     PNG           249 KB
  160x80       PNG           60 KB
  80x40         PNG           15 KB
  512x288 (30 fps) MPEG-1   38 MB
  1280x720 (30 fps) MPEG-2   142 MB
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Animation Number:3510
Completed:2006-11-22
Animator:Alex Kekesi (GST) (Lead)
Scientist:Gene Feldman (NASA/GSFC)
Platforms/Sensors/Data Sets:Aqua/MODIS
 Terra/MODIS
 SeaStar/SeaWiFS/Sea Surface Temperature
Data Collected:07/04/2002 - 10/23/2006
Series:Ocean Productivity
Keywords:
DLESE >> Biology
DLESE >> Ecology
SVS >> HDTV
DLESE >> Physical oceanography
GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Biosphere
GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Climate Indicators
GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Biosphere >> Ecological Dynamics >> Food-web Dynamics
More Information on this topic available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/warm_marine.html
Science paper:'Climate-Driven Trends in Contemporary Ocean Productivity', Nature, Dec. 7
 
 
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, The SeaWiFS Project and GeoEye, Scientific Visualization Studio. NOTE: All SeaWiFS images and data presented on this web site are for research and educational use only. All commercial use of SeaWiFS data must be coordinated with GeoEye (http://www.geoeye.com).

Data provided by: Norman Kuring (NASA/GSFC)


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