Southern Ocean Bio-optics Workshop

Reconciling bio-optics, photophysiology and floristics in the PACE era

The Southern Ocean plays key roles in the ocean carbon cycle and is projected to encounter complex changes in the coming decades of the Anthropocene. Despite multiple decades of ocean colour observations, uncertainty in derived parameters for this oceanic province is large compared to other regions.

The bio-optical and photo-physiological parameters of the Southern Ocean may differ from other ocean basins due to a fundamentally different phytoplankton community with unique photo-physiological strategies. Large uncertainties are therefore suspected in the quantification of primary productivity in this ocean region.

With the launch of hyperspectral sensors such as the NASA Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds and Ecosystem (PACE) mission, there is an opportunity now for a synthesis and gap identification to occur.  Expectations from such missions are decreased uncertainties in the parameters derived from multi-spectral instruments and a better capability to identify phytoplankton groups.

To make the most from the PACE mission, this workshop will bring together experts in bio-optics, ocean remote sensing, photophysiology, biogeochemical modelling, and atmospheric processes.

Together, through plenary talks and breakout sessions, participants will formulate how to harmonise sampling to better link float and satellite observations, design photophysiology experiments to inform improved model parameterisations, and develop linkages across plankton, aerosols, clouds and ecosystems.