TOOLS

Ocean color refers to the conceptual perception of the variability of optical properties in the ocean and the use of those properties to derive information regarding biological, physical (and sometimes geological) processes occurring at or near the ocean surface. Ocean color data refers, primarily, to remote sensing observations made from instruments on satellites (and also on airpanes and research ships). These instruments accurately measure light intensities -- referred to as radiances -- and the accurate radiance data can be converted algorithmically into geophysical products, of which the most notable in the realm of ocean color is the concentration of chlorophyll a, the vital pigment that enables photosynthetic production of organic carbon in plants. In the ocean, chlorophyll is mainly found in phytoplankton, the "base" of the oceanic food chain, so knowledge of the patterns and pulses of chlorophyll concentration in the ocean provides powerful iinsight into the biological dynamics of the oceans.

Ocean color data, however, is not very useful if it cannot by properly analyzed to derive meaningful information in a scientific context. The software tools listed below allow researchers to utilize ocean color data for oceanographic research. Some of these tools are available online, and others must be acquired and installed on their own computer systems.

Giovanni

Goddard Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni): Giovanni provides a rapid and easy-to-use online interface to display and perform basic analytical functions on Level 3 (9 km resolution) global geophysical products from SeaWiFS and MODIS.

SeaDAS

The SeaWiFS Data Analysis System, SeaDAS: SeaDAS is designed to replicate the data processing environment of the SeaWiFS Project. SeaDAS is capable of analyzing data from CZCS, NASDA-SIMBIOS-OCTS, SeaWiFS, and MODIS-Aqua data produced by the Ocean Color Data Processing System. SeaDAS runs on Unix systems, PC Linux systems, and Macintosh OS X systems.

JGOFS Live Access Server

Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) Live Access Server (LAS): The JGOFS LAS system provides a unique way to visualize and analyze ocean color data online.