Images
September 13, 2024 - Blooms off Scotland
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The waters of the Atlantic Ocean north and west of Scotland were stained with jade, turquoise, and teal tones in late August 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the widespread colors on August 31.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plants and algae that live in the upper sunlit layer of almost all water bodies on Earth. When conditions are right, phytoplankton populations can grow explosively, forming a bloom large enough to be visible from space. These tiny organisms contain chlorophyll and other pigments to capture light for photosynthesis. The pigments are also responsible for the color of the blooms. Because different species may contain different pigments, the color of and within a bloom may hint at the species within, but it is not yet possible to definitively identify what type of phytoplankton are in a bloom from space.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 8/31/2024
Resolutions:
1km (86.3 KB), 500m (233 KB), 250m (508.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The waters of the Atlantic Ocean north and west of Scotland were stained with jade, turquoise, and teal tones in late August 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the widespread colors on August 31.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plants and algae that live in the upper sunlit layer of almost all water bodies on Earth. When conditions are right, phytoplankton populations can grow explosively, forming a bloom large enough to be visible from space. These tiny organisms contain chlorophyll and other pigments to capture light for photosynthesis. The pigments are also responsible for the color of the blooms. Because different species may contain different pigments, the color of and within a bloom may hint at the species within, but it is not yet possible to definitively identify what type of phytoplankton are in a bloom from space.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 8/31/2024
Resolutions:
1km (86.3 KB), 500m (233 KB), 250m (508.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
