Images
March 20, 2025 - Colors in the North Sea
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The North Sea, between Great Britian and Europe, was awash with bright greens and tans in mid-March 2025. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image on March 18.
The colors come from a combination of copious sediment and large blooms of phytoplankton—microscopic plant-like organisms that live in these waters in small numbers year-round. When sea temperatures are favorable, plenty of nutrients are available, and water temperatures are warm enough, phytoplankton and reproduce explosively, creating massive floating colonies (blooms) that can easily be seen from space.
Blooms often appear as various tones of blue or green and are carried by currents to create swirling patterns. Suspended sediment, on the other hand, typically appears tan or brown, especially when it is near the surface. As sediment sinks under water, however, it often takes on a green tone. A large plume of sediment can be seen spilling into the North Sea from the River Thames in the southwestern section of this image. This plume stretches far into the North Sea. Sediment is also present along the shorelines of both Great Britain and Europe.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 3/18/2025
Resolutions:
1km (173.7 KB), 500m (497 KB), 250m (1.3 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The North Sea, between Great Britian and Europe, was awash with bright greens and tans in mid-March 2025. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image on March 18.
The colors come from a combination of copious sediment and large blooms of phytoplankton—microscopic plant-like organisms that live in these waters in small numbers year-round. When sea temperatures are favorable, plenty of nutrients are available, and water temperatures are warm enough, phytoplankton and reproduce explosively, creating massive floating colonies (blooms) that can easily be seen from space.
Blooms often appear as various tones of blue or green and are carried by currents to create swirling patterns. Suspended sediment, on the other hand, typically appears tan or brown, especially when it is near the surface. As sediment sinks under water, however, it often takes on a green tone. A large plume of sediment can be seen spilling into the North Sea from the River Thames in the southwestern section of this image. This plume stretches far into the North Sea. Sediment is also present along the shorelines of both Great Britain and Europe.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 3/18/2025
Resolutions:
1km (173.7 KB), 500m (497 KB), 250m (1.3 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
