WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The ocean is changing color, according to a new study led by Georgia Tech researchers.
Areas near the poles are turning greener, while spots closer to the equator are getting bluer, say the researchers, who spent the last year studying two decades’ worth of satellite data from NASA.
While the researchers are still trying to confirm the exact reasoning behind this, they said warmer ocean temperatures are a likely contributor. The water’s temperature is tied to chlorophyll levels through phytoplankton, a type of algae. Higher levels of algae—and chlorophyll—lead to greener water, the researchers said. Reduced levels are what can contribute to bluer water, which is seen off the Atlantic coast…