Altimetry and phytoplankton

More than forests this phytoplankton is producing the oxygen and recycling carbon. It is also the first element of the ocean food chain. Joint ocean color and altimetry satellite observations are very interesting for their understanding.

Sudden phytoplankton blooms are seen on ocean color images (left, here from the VIIRS and OLCI sensors between Africa and Madagascar), with currents from altimetry overlaid. Those blooms can be correlated to the eddies and currents seen by altimetry (right, sea level anomalies). (Credits CLS).