Phytoplankton Bloom Near Falkland Islands, South Atlantic
December 27, 2011
Shades of iridescent blue dominated the Atlantic Ocean east of the Falkland Islands in mid-December 2011. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image on December 14, 2011. Bright swirls form a giant arc hundreds of kilometers long.
The blue streak owed its existence to countless microscopic organisms. Phytoplankton—plant-like marine organisms that convert sunlight to energy—thrive in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Malvinas Current. Also known as the Falkland Current, it carries cold water along the southeast coast of South America. The phytoplankton-friendly conditions lead to frequent colorful blooms.
Credits: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The blue streak owed its existence to countless microscopic organisms. Phytoplankton—plant-like marine organisms that convert sunlight to energy—thrive in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Malvinas Current. Also known as the Falkland Current, it carries cold water along the southeast coast of South America. The phytoplankton-friendly conditions lead to frequent colorful blooms.
Credits: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Topics:
Environment, Planktology, Aquatic ecology, Biological oceanography, Marine biology, Terra, Falkland Islands, Plankton, Falkland Current, Phytoplankton, Fisheries, Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
