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Ocean Color Scientists Participate in Wade In


Ocean color scientists Norman Kuring (left) and Lachlan McKinna (right) wade waist-deep into the Chesapeake Bay to measure the "Sneaker Depth" of the water - the depth where a pair of white sneakers can no longer be seen.
Credit: NASA GSFC. Download this image (JPG, 3.6 MB).
[11-Jun-17] Ocean color scientists Norman Kuring (left) and Lachlan McKinna (right) wade waist-deep into the Chesapeake Bay to measure the "Sneaker Depth" of the water - the depth where a pair of white sneakers can no longer be seen.

Scientists measure water clarity using satellite data, but the calculations can be complex and hard to explain to people outside the discipline of oceanography. Now NASA is adopting Fowler’s sneaker idea to communicate satellite measurements of water clarity, enabling the observations to be shared easily with the general public, local governments, or anyone who is interested. NASA scientists call this algorithm the “Fowler’s Sneaker Depth” — the depth of water, in meters, at which a person can no longer see their white shoes.

For more information on this year's event and on the "Sneaker Depth" algorithm, click here.