What determines the color of large bodies of water (i.e. Ocean/large lakes?)
Asked by: Cindy Peabody
Answer
The ocean reflects the color of the sky, but even on cloudless days the
color of the ocean is not a consistent blue. Phytoplankton, microscopic plant life that floats
freely in the lighted surface waters, may alter the color of the water. When a great number of organisms
are concentrated in an area, the plankton changes the color of the ocean surface. This is called a
'bloom.'
Microscopic plant life is at the base of the marine food web and is the primary food and energy
source for the ocean ecosystem. Phytoplankton convert nutrients into plant material by using
sunlight with the help of the green pigment chlorophyll. The chlorophyll pigments in the plants
absorb light, and the plants themselves scatter light. Together, these processes change the color
of the ocean as seen by an observer looking downward into the sea. Very productive water with
a high concentration of plankton appears blue-green. Very pure water appears deep-blue, almost
black.
From space, variations in ocean color can be measured with sensitive instruments. Ocean and
land plants are green because of the chlorophyll in plant cells. Chlorophyll a absorbs mainly
blue-violet and red and reflects green; chlorophyll b absorbs mainly blue and orange and reflects
yellow-green. Satellite instruments measure the amount of reflected light of different
wavelengths. These amounts allow scientists to estimate the productivity of Earth's land masses
and oceans.
The sunlit surface layer of the ocean can be full of microscopic plants and animals. As the legend
shows, the red areas contain the most life, while the purple areas are nearly empty of life. The
number values on the scale indicate the milligrams of phytoplankton per cubic meter of sea water.
While the organisms are microscopic, large numbers result in a measurable mass when filtered
from the water. Ocean areas of high productivity support more life than less productive areas. It
is as simple as more food = more fish. More oxygen is produced and carbon dioxide consumed
in these highly productive areas of the ocean.
The plankton populations are dependent on a variety of factors, including ocean currents,
temperature, availability of nutrients, amount of sunlight, and ocean depth. Many different
species of plankton contribute to ocean color, although only a few species, occurring in great
numbers, are found at any one time or place. The individual plants live at various depths, from
the surface to nearly 100 meters, but prefer the surface sunlit regions with sufficient light to
support photosynthesis.
In the ocean, as on land, plants are the foundation of the food chain on which all other organisms
depend. The productivity of the ocean is very important to human activities and to the overall
health of the planet. Remote-sensing of the productivity of the oceans through the use of
instruments aboard satellites helps us better understand this vast frontier.
For further information and pictures, I recommend you visit:
NOTE from the Editor: It has been pointed out to me by Joe Larsen, Researcher at USC, that the Rayleigh scattering of the light from the sun (according to which the blue light is scattered more than other colors) is also an important factor in the color of the oceans. Rayleigh scattering is also a reason behind the blue color of the sky.
Answered by: Christina Ratzinger
'Science is facts; just as houses are made of stones, so is science made of facts; but a pile of stones is not a house and a collection of facts is not necessarily science.'