Phytoplankton primary production is a crucial component of Arctic Ocean (AO) biogeochemistry, playing a pivotal role in the carbon cycling by supporting higher trophic levels and removing atmospheric carbon dioxide. The advent of satellite observations measuring chlorophyll a concentration (Chl_ a) has yielded unprecedented insights into the distribution of AO phytoplankton, enhancing our ability to assess oceanic productivity. However, the optical properties of AO waters differ significantly from those of lower‐latitude waters, and standard Chl_a algorithms perform poorly in the AO. In particular, Chl_a retrievals are challenged by interferences from other marine constituents including higher pigment packaging and higher proportion of light absorption by colored dissolved organic matter. To derive phytoplankton-originating signature as well as mitigate those effects, solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) emerges as a valuable tool for acquiring physiological insights into the direct photosynthetic processes in the AO. In this study, we leverage satellite-based SIF measurements to assess their correlation with a set of predictive factors influencing phytoplankton photosynthesis. We extend the temporal coverage of AO SIF data to cover the period 2004 - 2020. This novel dataset offers a pathway to monitor the physiological interactions of phytoplankton with changes in climate, promising to significantly improve our understanding of the Arctic water’s productivity. The application of this data is expected to provide insights into how phytoplankton respond to shifts in environmental changes, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of their role in High-Latitude Northern Oceans ecosystems.

Since 1970, increased plastic use and waste mismanagement have contributed to environmental pollution leading to the proliferation of microplastics and ocean contamination. Understanding the plastic presence on-land is crucial as most plastic pollution originates from land-based sources. From its vantage point-of-view on the International Space Station, NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) imaging spectrometer can measure surface reflectance spectra across a wavelength range of 380 nm to 2500 nm. We present a study using this instrument to detect distinctive absorption features of High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastics in the shortwave infrared. By applying a column-wise adaptive matched filter and using a library of plastic reflectance spectra, we successfully identified signatures of these two types of plastics across multiple continents between +/- 52 degrees, primarily related to agricultural practices. Our study underscores the importance of monitoring land-based sources of plastic pollution to guide future mitigation strategies.

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average, resulting in widespread ground thaw and state changes. Due to the rapid rate and large scale of ecosystem shifts, identifying and understanding Arctic boreal zone changes and feedbacks requires frequent observations across multiple scales. The last decade has witnessed significant increases in the number and coverage of in-situ, airborne, and satellite observations. However, additional resolution, coverage, and sustained, long-term time series data records are urgently required to characterize and understand the considerable heterogeneity of Northern permafrost environments. Here, we review the physical and technical gaps that limit the ability to detect rapid state changes and tipping points in permafrost ecosystems. Understanding and accurately forecasting changes to the Arctic is an essential component of managing climate change in this rapidly transforming system.