Bright Waters off Peru
Credit: Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC, Posted on: Saturday, 28 February 2004, 06:00 CST Download full size image
The true-color image above shows a patch of bright water off the coast of Chincha Alta, Peru, roughly 200 km (124 miles) south of Lima. The scene was acquired on February 23, 2004, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua Satellite. The bright yellow-green coloration of the water is probably the result of biological activity—possibly either some species of algae, or possibly even sulfur granules suspended near the surface (similar to the sulfur event that occurs occasionally off the coast of Namibia). The waters along the west coast of South America are some of the most biologically fertile in the world. This is due mainly to the Humboldt Ocean Current—a very cold, deep current flowing from Antarctica past the southern tip of Chile and northward to Peru.
More Images

Enceladus' Mighty Plume.This unprocessed image was captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft during its Nov. ...
Latest Thoughts
-
Nov 25, 2009, 8:46 am
Northern Aurora in Motion Above Saturn
-
Nov 25, 2009, 8:32 am
The More Sports Kids Play, the Less Injuries Occur
-
Nov 25, 2009, 8:05 am
Scientists: Low-Carb Diets Can Foul Your Mood
-
Nov 25, 2009, 7:43 am
H1N1 Flu Holiday Travel Safety Tips
-
Nov 25, 2009, 7:07 am
The US Ranks Near Last in Infant Mortality Rates
-
Nov 25, 2009, 6:50 am
More Than 2200 Veterans Died Last Year From Lack of Insurance
- More Videos














RSS Feeds