The Good, the Bad, and the Algae   
       
   NASA Science News for July 2, 2015   
      
   June 26, 2015: Algae are complicated. The little plants can be both good and   
   bad.   
       
   Single-celled algae called phytoplankton are a main source of food for fish   
   and other aquatic life, and account for half of the photosynthetic activity on   
   Earth-that's good.   
       
   But certain varieties such as some cyanobacteria produce toxins that can harm   
   humans, fish, and other animals. Under certain conditions, algae populations   
   can grow explosively -- a spectacle known as an algal bloom, which can cover   
   hundreds of square kilometers. For example, in August 2014, a cyanobacteria   
   outbreak in Lake Erie prompted Toledo, Ohio, officials to ban the use of   
   drinking water supplied to more than 400,000 residents.   
       
   With support from NASA, the EPA has developed an app to track algae that can   
   threaten fresh water supplies.   
       
   http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2015/26jun_algae/   
       
   In the United States alone, freshwater degradation from "bad" algae costs the   
   economy about $64 million a year.   
       
   NASA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and   
   Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Geological Survey are doing something   
   about it. NASA has long used Earth observing satellites to locate algal bloom   
   outbreaks in the ocean. But now, this unique satellite data will be routinely   
   produced in a form that helps US water quality managers monitor our   
   freshwater. Water quality managers will soon, with a peek at their cell   
   phones, have an answer to "how's the water?"   
       
   The four agencies are working on a joint project, sponsored by NASA, to   
   transform satellite data into an indicator of cyanobacteria outbreaks in our   
   freshwater supply. The data will be integrated into an EPA Android smart phone   
   application so environmental officials can see - at a glance - the condition   
   of a specific water body.   
       
   "With our app, you can view water quality on the scale of the US, and zoom in   
   to get near-real-time data for a local lake," explains the EPA's Blake   
   Schaeffer, Principal Investigator for the project. "When we start pushing this   
   data to smartphone apps, we will have achieved something that's never been   
   done - provide water quality satellite data like weather data. People will be   
   able to check the amount of 'algae bloom' like they would check the   
   temperature."   
       
   Here's how it works:   
       
   A harmful species of cyanobacteria emits chlorophyll and fluorescent light at   
   various points in their life cycles. Landsat and NASA's Moderate Resolution   
   Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) can detect these "ocean color" signals,   
   which reveal the location and abundance of cyanobacteria.  The project team   
   will collect this data for freshwater bodies and convert it into a form   
   accessible through web portals and the EPA mobile app. In addition to MODIS,   
   they'll draw data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3.   
       
   With early warning about a developing bloom, officials at water treatment   
   plants will be better able to determine when, where, and how much to treat the   
   water to keep consumers safe. That means unnecessary -- and expensive --   
   overtreatment may be avoided. The data will also help park managers alert   
   swimmers, boaters, and other recreational users to hazardous conditions.   
       
   Says NASA Administrator Charles Bolden:  "We're excited to be putting NASA's   
   expertise in space and scientific exploration to work protecting public health   
   and safety."   
       
   The project will also help scientists understand why "bad" algae outbreaks   
   occur.  By comparing the color data with landcover change data, they'll learn   
   more about environmental factors that spur algal growth. The result: better   
   forecasts of bloom events. So we'll know when an algae bloom is safe or   
   harmful.   
       
       
   Regards,   
       
   Roger   
      
   --- D'Bridge 3.99   
    * Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna (1:3828/7)