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April 5, 2022 - Phytoplankton Bloom off of Argentina
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Bright milky-blue tones colored the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina in early April 2022. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of the striking hues on April 2. The brightest line of color stretches about 1,000 km (620 miles) southward from the same latitude as the mid-Rio de la Plata, disappearing under clouds in the south as the bright hues dim and the streak broadens.
These jewel-like tones mark the presence of a huge bloom of microscopic, plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton. They live in these waters year-round, but when conditions are just right (water temperature, daylight length, and abundant nutrients), phytoplankton can reproduce explosively to create massive blooms that can be easily seen from space.
Phytoplankton thrive in the ocean waters off the Argentine coast, thanks to the waters’ cool temperature and richness of nutrients. In this area, the Malvinas (Falkland) Current sweeps northward along the continental shelf, bringing with it cold water from the Southern Ocean. The action of the current sweeping along the edge of the shelf pulls nutrients up from the ocean floor. These nutrients serve as a natural fertilizer that promotes phytoplankton growth.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 4/2/2022
Resolutions:
1km (781.2 KB), 500m (2.2 MB), 250m (3.1 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Bright milky-blue tones colored the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Argentina in early April 2022. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of the striking hues on April 2. The brightest line of color stretches about 1,000 km (620 miles) southward from the same latitude as the mid-Rio de la Plata, disappearing under clouds in the south as the bright hues dim and the streak broadens.
These jewel-like tones mark the presence of a huge bloom of microscopic, plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton. They live in these waters year-round, but when conditions are just right (water temperature, daylight length, and abundant nutrients), phytoplankton can reproduce explosively to create massive blooms that can be easily seen from space.
Phytoplankton thrive in the ocean waters off the Argentine coast, thanks to the waters’ cool temperature and richness of nutrients. In this area, the Malvinas (Falkland) Current sweeps northward along the continental shelf, bringing with it cold water from the Southern Ocean. The action of the current sweeping along the edge of the shelf pulls nutrients up from the ocean floor. These nutrients serve as a natural fertilizer that promotes phytoplankton growth.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 4/2/2022
Resolutions:
1km (781.2 KB), 500m (2.2 MB), 250m (3.1 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
