Phytoplankton in the Gulf of Alaska

Image

Springtime in the Gulf of Alaska

A confluence of changing weather and abundant nutrients sets the table for a feast of phytoplankton.

Image

Swirling Sediment in Gulf of Alaska

Soft shades of turquoise and tan color the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound in this photo-like image captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on March 13, 2008. Though the swirls may look delicate from space, they hint at an ocean in turmoil. Strong winds and high waves likely churned the ocean, bringing sediment to the surface in the shallow waters over the continental shelf. The deeper waters beyond the shelf edge in the lower right corner of the image are dark blue, not clouded by sediment.

Image

Bloom in the Gulf of Alaska

Meltwater from Alaska’s glaciers washed into the Gulf of Alaska, delivering nutrients that gave rise to a colorful phytoplankton bloom.

Image

Ocean Color in the Gulf of Alaska

The winter-white Alaska shoreline provides a vivid contrast to the turquoise swirls in the black waters of the Gulf of Alaska. This burst of color in an otherwise black-and-white scene is caused by sediment, ground into fine powder by mountain glaciers and carried into the Gulf of Alaska through many waterways. The largest contributor of sediment shown in this photo-like image is the Copper River, immediately east of Prince William Sound.

Phytoplankton in the Gulf of Alaska

You might also be interested in (view all)

Subscribe

Springtime in the Gulf of Alaska

Swirling Sediment in Gulf of Alaska

Bloom in the Gulf of Alaska

Ocean Color in the Gulf of Alaska

Subscribe