SeaWiFS turns 10 this year. What is SeaWiFS? It is one of the most important advances of science in the last 20 years. The SeaWiFS is an instrument on a sattelite (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor) that circles the planet 14 times every day. By measuring iridescence and color, among other variables, over both land and sea we can derive estimates of primary production (the accumulation of photosynthetic biomass) over both time and space. SeaWiFS has both refined and greatly added to our understanding of global carbon cycling. Of course, there are many other areas where advances are greatly tied to SEaWiFS. Enjoy the SEaWiFS derived map below!
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