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In The Zone
Earth's oceans are wide reaching and teeming with life. One microscopic aquatic organism plays a major role in making life on Earth possible: phytoplankton. Under certain conditions, excessive phytoplankton growth can result in an area known as a dead zone. Dead zones form when big blooms of phytoplankton at the surface trigger large quantities of organic matter, which then sink to the bottom. Bacteria break down the organic material, releasing carbon dioxide but absorbing oxygen as they work. Most marine organisms need oxygen for survival and dead zones prove fatal for many aquatic species. This short web video features dynamic animations, science data visualizations, and interview excerpts with a NASA oceanographer to explore this fascinating marine phenomenon.

This short web video features dynamic animations, science data visualizations, and excerpts with a NASA oceanographer to explore the fascinating phenomenon of ocean dead zones.For complete transcript, click here.    This short web video features dynamic animations, science data visualizations, and excerpts with a NASA oceanographer to explore the fascinating phenomenon of ocean dead zones.

For complete transcript, click here.
Duration: 2.8 minutes
Available formats:
  320x240 (29.97 fps) MPEG-4   7 MB
  512x288 (29.97 fps) MPEG-1   25 MB
  640x360 (29.97 fps) MPEG-1   38 MB
  640x480 (30 fps) QT         35 MB
  960x540 (29.97 fps) MPEG-4   99 MB
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  320x180 (29.97 fps) MPEG-4   13 MB
  320x180     PNG           110 KB
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Animation Number:10331
Completed:2008-10-17
Animators:Alex Kekesi (GST) (Lead)
 Susan Twardy (HTSI)
Video Editor:Rich Melnick (HTSI)
Narrator:Laura Motel (UMBC)
Producer:Maria Frostic (UMBC)
Scientist:Gene Feldman (NASA/GSFC)
Videographer:Chris Smith (UMBC)
Writer:Maria Frostic (UMBC)
Platform/Sensor/Data Set:SeaStar/SeaWiFS
Series:Narrated Movies
Goddard TV Tape:G2008-090 -- Dead Zones: A Real Horror Story for Marine Life
Keywords:
SVS >> Earth Science
SVS >> Ocean
SVS >> Phytoplankton
GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Oceans >> Marine Biology
SVS >> Edited Feature
SVS >> Podcast
SVS >> Dead zone
More Information on this topic available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2008/dead_zones.html
 
 
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, The SeaWiFS Project and GeoEye. 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).


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