June 22, 2015 - Phytoplankton bloom in the North Sea

Phytoplankton bloom in the North Sea

The spectacular spring bloom of phytoplankton in the North Sea continued through mid-June, 2015. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the bloom on June 11. The bloom was flourishing by mid-May, and has continued in this region throughout the spring. Although each individual organism lives only a very short time, blooms can persist over long periods, due to continued reproduction.

Phytoplankton are tiny plant-like organisms that form the base of the marine food chain. Although present in the cold North Sea waters year-round, their robust growth become beautifully visible in the spring as summer, as a combination of nutrients, current mixing, water temperature and sunlight cause explosive reproduction of the chlorophyll-rich and colorful organisms. Phytoplankton are rich food sources for many marine organisms, and form the bottom of the marine food chain. Typically, a blooming ocean marks an area where rich fisheries exist.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/11/2015
Resolutions:
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC