ROSES Proposals
Future Scenarios of Phytoplankton and Harmful Algal Bloom Dynamics in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River System: Leveraging PACE, Optics-Inspired Deep Learning and Coupled Modeling
PI: Bingqing Liu - School of Geosciences, University of Louisiana at LafayetteCo-Is: Eurico D'Sa (Louisiana State University); Junghong Liang (Louisiana State University); Songyang Zhang (University of Louisiana); Beth Stauffer (University of Louisiana); Melissa Baustian (USGS); Hoonshin Jung (The Water Institute)
Our project seeks to utilize PACE OCI's hyperspectral capabilities and a coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model to develop current and future scenario products related to phytoplankton taxonomic composition (PTC) and harmful algal blooms (HABs), facilitating actionable science for natural resource management and restoration practices in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River System (MARS) in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM). This region, a particularly challenging environment for ocean color remote sensing due to its optically complex properties, has undergone rapid environmental changes due to various stressors, including climate change and ongoing restoration efforts. Incorporating PACE-derived PTC products into the coupled model will not only expand the spatial dimensions of PTC retrievals but also refine vertical export estimates, significantly contributing to a better understanding of the global carbon cycle and aquatic food webs. To ensure the research outcomes are applicable and beneficial to the region, this proposal also features a co-production of science component, achieved through active collaboration with end-users including the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), Pontchartrain Conservancy and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ).