Hold an ordinary houseplant under a black light and it glows red. Florescent intensity is dependent on how successfully a plant is using sunlight. Plants in environmentally challenging places will convert that light into radiative energy, or fluorescence. The greater the glow, the less efficiently the plant is photosynthesizing. A Simulation -A researcher places a vial of water saturated with phytoplankton in front of a high intensity lamp.
Filters block all but the fluorescent wavelengths of light emitted by the suspended cells.
By adding an herbicide specifically tailored to curtail photosynthesis, we see via time lapse a gradual increase of fluorescence as the cells less efficiently convert sunlight into growth. Seen on a global scale, this kind of research will enable scientists to study the oceans in various ways, from food chain issues to dispersal of pollutants. Cirrus Clouds - The filigreed strands of ice floating high in the sky are cirrus clouds. To fully understand the way the Earth regulates heat, weather, and other complex subjects, an understanding of clouds is vital. By effectively stripping the high cirrus clouds off this picture taken of the north eastern coast of South America, researchers can study lower atmospheric features hidden beneath.