This image shows a colorful bloom of phytoplankton in the Black Sea on June 4, 2008, along the southern coast near the Turkish cities of Sinop and Samsun. The natural-color image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. Loops and swirls of blooming phytoplankton follow the coastline, while farther out in the open waters (upper right), the blooms become more spread out. The greenish plumes hugging the coast from Sinop westward to just beyond Samsun may be river plumes. River plumes can contain nutrients that stimulate phytoplankton blooms, but they may also contain sediment and organic matter that can color the water.
Published Jun 10, 2008
Acquired August 9, 2010, this natural-color image shows peacock-blue swirls in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland.
Published Aug 11, 2010
Phytoplankton color the water with a burst of spring growth.
Published May 19, 2012
Early summer water conditions provide fertile territory for phytoplankton blooms.
Published Jul 5, 2015
Shades of green and blue blend in subtle swirls in this photo-like image of a phytoplankton bloom off the west coast of Iceland taken on June 24, 2010.
Published Jun 30, 2010
In May 2020, a vivid phytoplankton bloom colored the surface waters of the country’s second-longest fjord.
Published Jun 10, 2020
Ocean plants color the water of the Great Australian Bight off the shore of Victoria, Australia, in this photo-like Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image, taken by NASA’s Terra satellite on January 11, 2007.
Published Jan 17, 2007
High chlorophyll concentrations indicate the presence of tiny plant-like organisms, called phytoplankton. The plants can both nourish and destroy a marine ecosystem. Phytoplankton are a major source of food for many marine animals, but if they overgrow, the decomposition of so much organic material robs the water of oxygen. Satellite images such as this Aqua MODIS image help monitor phytoplankton concentrations in the world’s oceans.
Published Feb 26, 2005
