Figure 1.

Seasonal satellite images for the three major African rift lakes, with Victoria at the top, Tanganyika in the middle, and Malawi at the bottom. The higher attenuation coefficients (K490, top row) and chlorophyll concentration (bottom row) estimates demonstrate that Lake Victoria is more turbid than the other lakes and, therefore, has a different fundamental ambient light environment. Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi are fairly similar and have much clearer waters than Victoria. Images constructed from averaged SEAWIFS data for the years 1998–2002. The large body of water on the right is a portion of the Indian Ocean that borders the African horn.