June 17, 2007 - Northwestern Australia

Northwestern Australia

This image of part of northwestern Australia was captured by the MODIS on the Terra satellite on June 6, 2007. Green and blue phytoplankton blooms are visible all along the coastline. Phytoplankton are tiny marine organisms that, much like their land-based plant relatives, use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into food.

Near the top of the image is the Fitzroy River – where the river empties into the King Sound, you can see brown sediment in the water. The red dots are the locations of active fires.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 06/06/2007
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC