What happens to light intensity as depth in the ocean increases?

As depth in the ocean increases, light intensity decreases primarily due to the absorption and scattering of light by water and other particles suspended in it. The upper layers of the ocean receive sunlight, allowing photosynthetic organisms such as phytoplankton to thrive. However, as you move deeper, only a fraction of the light penetrates, and the wavelengths of light that can penetrate vary. For instance, red light is absorbed quickly, while blue light can penetrate to greater depths.

The decrease in light intensity occurs consistently with depth and follows an exponential decay pattern known as the light attenuation phenomenon. This means that the deeper you go, the less light there is available, impacting marine life that depends on sunlight. This understanding is fundamental in marine science, particularly in studying ecosystems and the distribution of marine species, as it affects everything from photosynthesis in oceanic plants to the behavior of fish and other marine organisms.