MARRA 9314206 This proposal is a continuing effort of to collect and process data on optics and pigment distribution by combining the efforts of JGOFS and the Word Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) Hydrographic Program (WHP). The program will operate a bio-optical profiler to collect data on the biological and optical properties of the upper water column. Data to collected include spectral irradiance (7 channels each of upwelling and downwelling ), broad-band visible irradiance (PAR), fluorescence, and beam transmission. This is perhaps the first undertaking of a systematic and consistent data collection on the oceans pigment and optical properties, and would be invaluable in improving algorithms for satellite imaging of ocean pigments and in estimating primary production. ***
