The Gulf of Mexico supports many industries that rely on its natural resources. Primary production is required to sustain fish populations and contributes to ocean carbon exchange. Ocean color satellites make it possible to observe large geographic areas; however, an individual sensor has limited coverage. The GlobColour project merges observations from multiple satellites into a single product. The purpose of this study is to use GlobColour and QuikSCAT to investigate the seasonal and non-seasonal associations between chlorophyll and wind from 2000-2008 in the Gulf of Mexico.
An overview of the Gulf of Mexico's physical setting, circulation, and main features is presented. The Gulf is divided into: Interior Basin, West Florida Shelf, Louisiana-Texas Shelf, Tamaulipas-Veracruz Shelf, Bay of Campeche, and Campeche Bank. Phytoplankton biomass is discussed in the context of nutrient-transport mechanisms including coastal upwelling, Ekman pumping, horizontal advection, and vertical turbulent mixing.