Abstract
[1] MERIS (Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) satellite imagery for early March 2006 shows streaks and patches of what appears to be an intense plankton bloom among broken ice off Ronne Entrance, Antarctica, near 73 S, 83 W. The streaks are 2 to 10 km wide and up to 100 km long, extending across open water between land and the ice edge. We interpret these streaks as an example of a previously reported type of “superbloom,” in which very high surface concentrations of chlorophyll occur in water containing ice platelets. Spectral bands of the MERIS satellite imager in the visible and near-infrared allow computation of an index suitable for detection of surface blooms containing high concentrations of chlorophyll, especially blooms associated with high-scattering from suspended sediment or ice. The images presented here suggest a new way in which MERIS images can contribute to the study of primary productivity in polar regions.
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