RU15 Chlorophyll
On the y-axis, is the depth. And on the x-axis is time. The color bar denotes the chlorophyll concentration of the water. The redder it is, the more chlorophyll there is. The more blue, the less chlorophyll.
When the glider was first deployed on 10/19, we witness the highest chlorophyll concentration. This is due to the fact that off the coast, you find the most nutrients. In addition, the cold water is a sign that water has welled up to the surface carrying nutrients that have built up over time. These nutrients are necessary in the growth of phytoplankton. Also, you find the most on the surface because of the sun and also because currents raise nutrients to the ocean's surface. As the glider continues its journey, we see a decrease in chlorophyll concentration. As you move further out into the ocean, the nutrients get diffused. On 10/23, there was a sudden change in chlorophyll concentration. This may be because of a storm that increased the rate of diffusion of nutrients, resulting in less phytoplankton. Another hypothesis could be that the glider itself moved across a gradient from high chlorophyll concentration to low chlorophyll concentration.
- Tyshia Rennick, Curtis Yang, Sayoung Byun