An objective interpolation method for spatiotemporal distribution of marine plankton

A Lagrangian-Eulerian interpolation method for the objective analysis of ma rine plankton data was developed. Based on the Gauss-Markov theorem, this m ethod takes into account the advection effect on the distribution of passiv e marine plankton, and yields an estimate and confidence at every interpola ting point (x, y, z, t) which is optimal in the least squares error. This m ethod was demonstrated in the analysis of plankton data collected in the Ca lifornia Current region during June 1993. The interpolated time series of s patial distributions of plankton revealed areas where plankton features wer e more permanent due to weak advection and areas where plankton features we re more time-dependent due to the existence of strong currents. Results sho w north-south transports and exchanges of plankton populations produced by the complex flow system in the California Current region. This Lagrangian-E ulerian interpolation produces synoptic spatial distributions of plankton a t given times and their error fields, and can be used as a basic analytical tool to understand advection effects in plankton distributions.