Images
May 22, 2024 - Blooming North Sea
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Brilliant streaks of bright blue mingled with clouds of tan sediment in the North Sea in mid-May 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the colors marking the presence of a spring phytoplankton bloom on May 20.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that are typically most abundant in the North Sea in late spring and early summer when high levels of nutrients are available. Melting sea ice releases nutrients into the North Sea in the springtime. In addition, spring rains and melting snow fill European rivers, and the increased flow sweeps sediment and nutrients across the landscape and ultimately spills them into the Sea. The combination of warming water, increasing hours of daylight, and nutrient enrichment spur rapid reproduction of phytoplankton, creating colorful blooms easily seen from space.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/20/2024
Resolutions:
1km (747.1 KB), 500m (2.2 MB), 250m (5.8 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Brilliant streaks of bright blue mingled with clouds of tan sediment in the North Sea in mid-May 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the colors marking the presence of a spring phytoplankton bloom on May 20.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that are typically most abundant in the North Sea in late spring and early summer when high levels of nutrients are available. Melting sea ice releases nutrients into the North Sea in the springtime. In addition, spring rains and melting snow fill European rivers, and the increased flow sweeps sediment and nutrients across the landscape and ultimately spills them into the Sea. The combination of warming water, increasing hours of daylight, and nutrient enrichment spur rapid reproduction of phytoplankton, creating colorful blooms easily seen from space.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/20/2024
Resolutions:
1km (747.1 KB), 500m (2.2 MB), 250m (5.8 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
