The Bio-Optical Oceanography Component studies the magnitude of phytoplankton productivity and its role as a carbon sink in the world ocean are central questions for the understanding of current global climate change.

Their interdisciplinary studies in coastal and oceanic waters of the Inter-Americas Sea include: Variability of Apparent and Inherent Optical Properties, Bio-Optical Properties of Harmful Algal Blooms, Relationships Between Water Optics and Coral Reef Parameters, Ocean Color Algorithm Development and Validation Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Tropical Marine Organisms, and the effects of Sahara Dust Aerosols in the Marine Environment and on Public Health.