Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph. Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated January 13, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. Why Is the Ocean Blue? The red, orange, yellow, and green wavelengths of light are absorbed so that the remaining light we see is composed of the shorter wavelength blues and violets.
If there are any particles suspended in the water, they will increase the scattering of light. In coastal areas, runoff from rivers, resuspension of sand and silt from the bottom by tides, waves and storms and a number of other substances can change the color of the near-shore waters. Some types of particles in particular, the cells of phytoplankton, also referred to as algae can also contain substances that absorb certain wavelengths of light, which alters its characteristics.
The most important light-absorbing substance in the oceans is chlorophyll, which phytoplankton use to produce carbon by photosynthesis. Due to this green pigment - chlorophyll - phytoplankton preferentially absorb the red and blue portions of the light spectrum for photosynthesis and reflect green light.
So, the ocean over regions with high concentrations of phytoplankton will appear as certain shades, from blue-green to green, depending upon the type and density of the phytoplankton population there. The basic principle behind the remote sensing of ocean color from space is this: the more phytoplankton in the water, the greener it is There are other substances that may be found dissolved in the water that can also absorb light.
Since these substances are usually composed of organic carbon, researchers generally refer to these substances as colored dissolved organic matter, CDOM for short.
The study of ocean color helps scientists gain a better understanding of phytoplankton and their impact on the Earth system. These small organisms can affect a system on a very large scale such as climate change.
Phytoplankton use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and in turn provide almost half the oxygen we breathe. The larger the world's phytoplankton population, the more carbon dioxide gets pulled from the atmosphere, hence, the lower the average temperature due to lower volumes of this greenhouse gas. Scientists have found that a given population of phytoplankton can double its numbers about once per day.
In other words, phytoplankton respond very rapidly to changes in their environment. Large populations of these organisms, sustained over long periods of time, could significantly lower atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and, in turn, lower average temperatures.
Carbon can be 'stored' in oceanic sediments when organic matter sinks and is buried in the ocean floor. Understanding and monitoring phytoplankton can help scientists study and predict environmental change.
Since phytoplankton depend upon sunlight, water, and nutrients to survive, physical or chemical variance in any of these ingredients over time for a given region will affect the phytoplankton concentrations.
Phytoplankton populations grow or diminish rapidly in response to changes in its environment. Changes in the trends for a given phytoplankton population, such as its density, distribution, and rate of population growth or diminishment, will alert Earth scientists that environmental conditions are changing there. Then, by comparing these phytoplankton trends to other measurements - such as temperature - scientists can learn more about how phytoplankton may be contributing to, and affected by, climatic and environmental change.
So, in regions with a high amount of phytoplankton, the ocean will appear in shades of green. It depends on the density and type of the phytoplankton present there. NASA reiterates that "the more phytoplankton in the water, the greener it is Upwelling makes an ocean appear murky. How about water with a tint of brown? Does it mean that it is not safe?
Is it automatically dirty and filled with contaminants? Murkier water is an effect of upwelling. It is a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface and often occurs in the open ocean and along coastlines. In this case, the water has a high amount of floating sand churned up by waves , which explains the murky appearance. It can also be because of some other biological organisms that reflect light differently, causing its murkiness.
Either way, there is nothing gross about it. It is just Science that is working behind all of these conditions. Stop having the notion that a blue ocean is a safe and clean ocean while a green or brown sea is not. In the real sense, the color of the sea does not entirely and certainly determine its safety and cleanliness. Do you know what does? Nothing other than the massive amount of garbage floating and killing marine life. Here at Wave Tribe, we uphold the aim of going green and preserving the ecosystem for future generations; that is why we create eco-surfing products.
We would be glad to gain support for our objectives by joining our Heal the Oceans campaign and practicing the utilization of economical materials that leave no harm to the environment or bodies of water. Learning about our eco-surfing products would be a great start for everyone. More Wave Tribe Reads. Every 4th Wednesday of October, we celebrate Sustainability Day. Learn what does going green means and what it has to do with sustainable living.
Search 0 Cart. Your headline. Add your deal, information or promotional text. Rad Blogs. Wave Tribe Commitment. We are committed to bringing you the best products and articles for surf travel. Home Eco. Previous Next. Because we feel the need to break down the common misconceptions behind every color of our oceans. Colors of the Ocean: Why is the Ocean Blue? Final Words. Read Next.
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