Photo credit: www.nasa.gov
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Henry Houskeeper, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Graduate Mentor: Lori Berberian, University of California, Los Angeles
Lori Berberian, serving as the graduate student mentor for the 2024 SARP West Oceans group, introduces each member of the team and offers insights into their internship experiences.
Emory Gaddis, Colgate University
Coal Oil Point, situated in the Santa Barbara Channel of California, is recognized as one of the largest hydrocarbon seep fields globally. The area has historically been notable for both its natural hydrocarbon seepage and the oil production that has encouraged scientific investigation and commercial ventures for many years. Indigenous communities in this region historically utilized the naturally occurring tar for waterproofing materials, providing early evidence of hydrocarbons present long before modern oil extraction began. Hydrocarbons escape from the seafloor through a natural seeping process, where built-up reservoir pressure forces gas and liquid bubbles to the surface. This natural seepage is a vital contributor to methane (CH4) emissions, a greenhouse gas with significant climatic implications. Challenges remain in accurately detecting oil presence over oceanic scales using optical remote sensing, influenced by geometrical and biogeochemical factors, and affected by variables such as wind speed and sea surface conditions. Our study uses high-resolution (3m) surface reflectance data from PlanetScope to create a comprehensive time series of oil slick surface area from 2017 to 2023 in the Coal Oil Point seep field. The initial analysis involves manual annotations via ArcGIS-Pro, and we aim to understand the relationship between wind speed and oil slick area. By correcting for external factors such as wind, we enhance the determination of oil slick surface area, which allows us to explore natural seep rates and the potential impact of human activities like oil drilling on these natural processes. Future studies will focus on the chemical properties of oil slicks and their implications for marine and atmospheric environments, particularly regarding methane emissions.
Rachel Emery, The University of Oklahoma
The world is currently faced with a severe biodiversity crisis, threatening areas rich in biodiversity with extinction. Among these crucial regions is the Western Cape Province of South Africa, home to a unique marine ecosystem supported by extensive growth of canopy-forming kelps such as Macrocystis and Ecklonia. These kelps are vital for biodiversity and ecosystem productivity. However, they are threatened by climate change and local pollution, particularly marine heatwaves. Traditional field survey methods allow some monitoring of these ecosystems; however, remote sensing through airborne and satellite imagery improves spatial coverage and historical continuity, facilitating the observation of long-term ecological changes. Using passive remote sensing from NASA’s Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer – Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG), we can achieve high-resolution hyperspectral imagery that aids in studying community dynamics and macroalgal health. Active remote sensing through Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is less understood in marine contexts but shows promise for capturing vertical structures not visible via passive methods. This study focuses on observing emerging canopy-forming macroalgae (like Ecklonia), which can grow significantly above the water’s surface, utilizing NASA’s Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS) for precision measurements. We validate LVIS observations against AVIRIS-NG data to assess how LiDAR technology might advance the monitoring of kelp ecosystems in biodiversity-rich areas like the Western Cape.
Brayden Lipscomb, West Virginia University
Understanding the optical characteristics of marine ecosystems is essential for refining models that predict oceanic productivity. Satellite observations used to gauge productivity often face inaccuracies due to uncertainties in vertical structure parameterization and deriving columnar parameters from surface measurement. The most reliable models incorporate in-situ data to eliminate assumptions about atmospheric effects and water column structures. Previous efforts have demonstrated increased accuracy in satellite primary productivity models when vertical structure information from gliders and floats is added. Our research examines vertical profiles of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) gathered during routine assessments of the southern California Current system by the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigation (CalCOFI). Our analysis reveals coherent log-linear relationships between light availability depths (1% and 10%) and near-surface attenuation measurements despite the presence of variability in constituent concentrations and instrument-related challenges. These findings suggest that we can more reliably parameterize subsurface optical properties based on near-surface data than previously recognized.
Dominic Bentley, Pennsylvania State University
Upwelling refers to the rise of ocean layers, such as the nutricline, thermocline, and isopycnals, driven by surface ocean eddies. This upward movement is known to enhance algal bloom productivity in different water bodies. The influence of mesoscale to deformation-scale eddy circulation varies based on factors like latitude and physical conditions, yet many dynamics governing the interaction between eddies and the microbial environment remain unclear due to insufficient observational data. Currently, satellite technology enables expansive spatial monitoring, albeit hampered by cloud cover and limited to surface observations. A key knowledge gap exists in oceanography due to the inadequate spatial resolution that prevents the analysis of submesoscale dynamics. The recent launch of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission in December 2022 offers higher resolution observations of upper-ocean dynamics compared to earlier missions (e.g., TOPEX/Poseidon). Additionally, the anticipated launch of the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite in February 2024 aims to enhance our understanding of microbial ocean dynamics. This research will match SWOT’s sea surface height (SSH) anomaly data, a key indicator of eddy characteristics, with PACE’s observations of surface phytoplankton to explore relationships between phytoplankton biomass distribution and oceanic eddies in the North Atlantic, finding significant chlorophyll a concentrations linked to cyclonic eddy features driven by upwelling nutrient supplies.
Abigail Heiser, University of Wisconsin-Madison
In 1905, the Colorado River’s flooding created the Salton Sea, which has since become California’s largest lake. Currently, its primary water source is agricultural runoff, laden with fertilizers and contaminants that elevate nutrient levels and contribute to harmful algal blooms (HABs). These increasingly frequent blooms present ecological and health risks by degrading water quality and introducing toxins. Utilizing NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) imaging spectrometer, we apply two hyperspectral aquatic remote sensing algorithms: the cyanobacteria index (CI) and scattering line height (SLH). These methodologies allow for detecting and characterizing cyanobacteria, a significant component of harmful algal blooms. Designed initially for atmospheric mineral dust study, EMIT’s high spatial and spectral resolution data presents an innovative tool for aquatic monitoring. Enhancing EMIT with aquatic sensing capabilities could prove integral for tracking HAB onset drivers, aiding in a deeper understanding of environmental dynamics.
Emma Iacono, North Carolina State University
Over recent decades, average global temperatures have steadily risen, showcasing the far-reaching impacts of climate change. In 1990, Andrew Bakun proposed that differential warming between land and sea would amplify pressure gradients, thereby increasing upwelling rates within Eastern Boundary Currents like the California Current System (CCS). Enhanced upwelling could significantly influence CCS productivity as nutrient-rich waters rise to the surface, encouraging phytoplankton growth. This increase in upwelling is likely connected to higher turbidity in upper ocean layers, indicating increased phytoplankton abundance. Historical turbidity data parallels findings from Secchi Disk observations, which measure light penetration in the water column. A prior study documented a shoaling trend in Secchi depths from 1969 to 2007. Our research expands on these findings by analyzing Secchi depths during the later period from 2007 to 2021, assessing shifts in water clarity and evaluating seasonal and spatial trends for potential impacts on marine microbial ecology. Initial results suggest a reversal of prior trends, with recent increases in water clarity possibly linked to a recent marine heatwave (MHW), underlining the significant role of MHW events in shaping the microbial environment within the CCS.
Click here to watch the Atmospheric Aerosols Group presentations.
Click here to watch the Terrestrial Ecology Group presentations.
Click here to watch the Whole Air Sampling (WAS) Group presentations.
Source
www.nasa.gov