Blue Shark Tracking Project

Animation Mode

Watch sharks swim through time! Animation mode replays each shark's actual journey, showing where they traveled day by day. This helps scientists understand migration patterns and seasonal behavior.

💡 Why it matters: By watching how sharks move through different ocean conditions, we can predict where they'll go next and protect critical habitats.

Chlorophyll

The ocean's "greenery" indicator! Chlorophyll is the green pigment in tiny floating plants called phytoplankton. High chlorophyll (green areas) = lots of microscopic ocean plants = more food for small fish = more food for sharks!

🌊 Food chain connection: Phytoplankton → small fish → bigger fish → sharks. Where there's more chlorophyll, there's often more marine life.

📊 Scale: Measured in mg/m³ (milligrams per cubic meter of seawater)

Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

Temperature drives ocean life! SST shows how warm or cold the ocean's surface is. Different marine species prefer different temperatures, so SST helps predict where sharks will hunt.

🌡️ Why sharks care: Temperature affects where their prey lives, how fast they digest food, and how much energy they need. Some sharks prefer warm tropical waters, others like cooler seas.

🛰️ From space: NASA satellites measure ocean temperature from orbit using infrared sensors!

Particulate Organic Carbon (POC)

Tracking ocean "food particles"! POC measures tiny organic particles floating in the water—dead plankton, fish waste, and decomposing material. These particles are crucial food for small organisms.

🔬 The nutrient cycle: High POC = rich feeding grounds = more prey fish = happy sharks! POC shows where nutrients are being recycled in the ocean ecosystem.

🎯 #1 Predictor: Scientists found POC is the BEST indicator for predicting where blue sharks will feed!