Authors
Marco Bellacicco, G Volpe, N Briggs, V Brando, J Pitarch, Angela Landolfi, S Colella, S Marullo, R Santoleri
Publication date
2018/8/16
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume
45
Issue
15
Pages
7672-7682
Description
In the last few decades, phytoplankton biomass has been commonly studied from space. However, satellite analysis of non‐algal particles (NAPs), including heterotrophic bacteria and viruses, is relatively recent. In this work, we estimate the backscattering coefficient associated with the NAP fraction that does not covary with chlorophyll based on satellite particulate backscattering coefficient and chlorophyll (bbpNAP). bbpNAP is computed at 100‐km resolution using 19 years of monthly satellite data. We find clear differences in bbpNAP between northern and southern oceans. High bbpNAP values are found in the Arctic and Southern Oceans, the North Atlantic area influenced by the Gulf Stream current, as well as shelf regions (i.e., Patagonian shelf) affected by upwelling regimes. Low correlation between chlorophyll and backscattering prevents precise bbpNAP estimations in oligotrophic areas (e.g., subtropical …
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