July 2019 brought the latest display of a phytoplankton bloom that occurs every year in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Published Jul 15, 2019
Reminiscent of the distinctive swirls in a Van Gogh painting, millions of microscopic plants color the waters of the North Atlantic with strokes of blue, turquoise, green, and brown. Fed by nutrients that have built up during the winter and the long, sunlit days of late spring and early summer, the cool waters of the North Atlantic come alive every year with a vivid display of color. The microscopic plants, called phytoplankton, that give the water this color are the base of the marine food chain.
Published Jul 3, 2007
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
Early summer water conditions provide fertile territory for phytoplankton blooms.
Published Jul 5, 2015
Streaks of blue and green color the South Atlantic Ocean in this image from January 9 2010.
Published Jan 30, 2010
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