More than half of the seas on Earth are green, according to NASA satellite
images, as a result of climate change disrupting marine ecosystems.
Scientists have been prompted to investigate strange shifts in ocean
color.
According to satellite data, 56% of the world's seas have seen a color
change from blue to green during the past 20 years. The changes are most
noticeable in tropical areas close to the equator.
According to researchers, the gradual greening of our seas indicates how
climate change is affecting aquatic life.
What is causing the ocean to get green?
Over half of the world's seas gradually changed from blue to mostly green
colours, as observed by NASA's Modis-Aqua satellite. Greater than the whole
surface of the planet, the area has changed color.
After analyzing the NASA data, BB Cael and his colleagues at the National
Oceanography Centre in Southampton, UK, concluded that the green coloring is
a symptom of ecological change brought on by climate change.
Although the nature of these changes and their precise origin are unknown,
according to BB Cael, they are probably related to the phytoplankton that
make up the majority of food chains. These creatures are essential for
stabilizing our atmosphere and creating much of the oxygen we breathe.
The surface marine microbial community is already experiencing the
consequences of climate change, according to the study.
Oceans that change color might be a sign of a deeper issue.
According to the study's authors, a shift in the ocean's color may indicate
a change in the condition of its ecosystems. Greener tones imply higher
phytoplankton activity whereas deeper blues suggest less life.
It provides a picture of what is occurring in the water's topmost
layers.
However, due of the drastically different chlorophyll levels at the
surface, the color of the ocean can shift from year to year. It is
challenging to determine whether the transition from blue to green is a
result of climate change.
Before seeing any patterns, scientists predicted that it may take up to 40
years of monitoring the ocean's color. Additionally, different satellites
assess color variations in various ways. It means that it is frequently
impossible to merge the data from each one.
In January 2024, NASA will launch the Pace mission to learn more about how
the ocean's colors change. Plankton, aerosol, clouds, and the ocean ecology
will all be observed.
