Images
December 9, 2024 - Bloom off of Australia
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Bright swirls of green and blue stretched across the Great Australian Bight for more than 500 miles (800 km) in early December 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the intense colors on December 5.
The colors are the result of an enormous bloom of phytoplankton—microscopic plant-like organisms that carry chlorophyll and other pigments. Phytoplankton live in these waters year-round in relatively small numbers but, when they have adequate food, sunlight, water temperatures, and oxygen content in the water, the tiny organisms can reproduce explosively to form massive floating blooms that can be seen from space. The swirls are created by the blooms being carried along by currents and eddies in the water.
Conditions in the Great Australian Bight become favorable for phytoplankton each austral summer. Seasonal winds, storms, and ocean currents tend to mix the water columns in this region, redistributing nutrients. In addition, water temperature rises and daylight length increases. All these factors are ideal for phytoplankton growth.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 12/5/2024
Resolutions:
1km (188.5 KB), 500m (437.8 KB), 250m (909 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Bright swirls of green and blue stretched across the Great Australian Bight for more than 500 miles (800 km) in early December 2024. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the intense colors on December 5.
The colors are the result of an enormous bloom of phytoplankton—microscopic plant-like organisms that carry chlorophyll and other pigments. Phytoplankton live in these waters year-round in relatively small numbers but, when they have adequate food, sunlight, water temperatures, and oxygen content in the water, the tiny organisms can reproduce explosively to form massive floating blooms that can be seen from space. The swirls are created by the blooms being carried along by currents and eddies in the water.
Conditions in the Great Australian Bight become favorable for phytoplankton each austral summer. Seasonal winds, storms, and ocean currents tend to mix the water columns in this region, redistributing nutrients. In addition, water temperature rises and daylight length increases. All these factors are ideal for phytoplankton growth.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 12/5/2024
Resolutions:
1km (188.5 KB), 500m (437.8 KB), 250m (909 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
