PLATE 2 New images of ocean color from the SeaWlFs instrument. The upper panel shows a high resolution of the coastal oceans off northeastern North America. The lower panel shows a global view. Ocean “color” measures the density of photosynthetic pigments in marine organisms (phytoplankton). This information, the first of its type for over 10 years, can be used to understand marine ecology, fisheries, and physical processes. SOURCE: Data from the SeaWIFs project home page (http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html).