UK sensor to illuminate understanding of phytoplankton

Launched on February 8, 2024, NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission will collect information on the processes behind carbon dioxide exchange in the ocean.

Leonardo delivered sensors for the development of the Ocean Colour Instrument (OCI) onboard PACE that will help to reveal a new spectrum of colours of the ocean.

The Ocean Colour Instrument (OCI) is a highly advanced optical spectrometer that will be used to measure properties of light over portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. It will enable the continuous measurement of light at finer wavelength resolutions and over a larger spectral range than previous NASA satellite sensors, extending key system ocean colour data records for climate studies.

Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms that contribute to the conversion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the ocean. Carbon dioxide is critical for photosynthesis, and the carbon is incorporated into phytoplankton cellular material and released as oxygen.

The sensor will indicate the density of the phytoplankton population and help NASA identify specific communities of phytoplankton that have different colour signatures. This is important since some forms of phytoplankton can be highly toxic for marine life and for humans who consume shellfish and fish.