November 24, 2014 - Yucatan Peninsula

Yucatan Peninsula

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite flew over the Yucatán Peninsula on November 11, 2014 and captured this true-color image of a green land edged by a spectacularly colored ocean.

The northwestern section of the peninsula is dry forest region, primarily filled with thorn scrub and cacti. It is home to twenty endemic species of birds, and is an important region for migratory birds of North America. Several moist forests have more lush vegetation, appearing darker green. Fewer endemic species are found here, but biodiversity is high. Logging and cattle farming pose risks to the natural habitat of the Yucatán forests. The circular gray spot near the northeastern tip is the city of Merida, home to more than 970,000 according to the 2010 census.

Offshore the brilliant blue and green swirls are a combination of phytoplankton mixed with sediment and other organic matter. Blooms of phytoplankton are common in this area, especially of the west coast, where upwelling occurs. Surface runoff also contributes to increasing nutrients, which feeds blooms of the small marine, plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 11/11/2014
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC