Abstract
The East China Sea (ECS) (25°N - 40°N, 120°E - 130°E) experiences frequent harmful algal blooms, particularly after major weather events, as observed in early 2024. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), a critical photosynthetic pigment, serves as a primary bloom indicator, with nutrient-rich aerosol deposition often stimulating phytoplankton growth. Enhanced satellite monitoring of Chl-a and aerosol optical depth (AOD) now provides high-resolution insights, integrating environmental factors such as wind speed, sea surface temperature (SST), suspended particulate matter (SPM), sea currents, and sea level anomalies (SLA). This study, utilizing NOAA and VIIRS/NOAA-20 satellite data, found a strong correlation between AOD and Chl-a in the southern ECS (28°–30°N, 124°–126°E), with stable SST, SLA, and sea currents showing consistent patterns among Chl-a, SPM, and AOD. Future research will aim to differentiate local from external aerosol sources, which is essential for understanding aerosol impacts on algal blooms and enhancing mitigation strategies.