SeaWiFS helps assess hurricane impact on phytoplankton in Caribbean Sea

Abstract

Hurricanes can change the biogeochemistry and productivity of coastal regions due to their large impact on river discharge, land runoff, water circulation, and morphological conditions. Such changes are very dramatic, but they can only last from days to a few weeks. The brief span of these events makes a rapid and low‐cost assessment of their regional impact very difficult. Remote sensing of ocean color is a promising tool for assessing the impact of hurricane disturbances in coastal areas at relatively low cost.