Observations of ocean color from space have been part of the U.S. JGOFS strategy for discerning temporal and spatial variations in upper-ocean productivity on the global scale since the first planning workshops for a U.S. global ocean flux program (National Academy of Sciences, 1984). From the start, remote measurements of near-surface chlorophyll a concentrations were envisaged as the major tool for extrapolating upper-ocean chemical and biological measurements in time and space and linking calculations of new and primary production with the flux of particulate material through the water column.

Yoder, J.A., J.K. Moore, and R.N. Swift. 2001. Putting together the big picture: Remote-sensing observations of ocean color. Oceanography 14(4):33–40, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2001.04.

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