Images
August 13, 2020 - Phytoplankton in the Barents Sea
Follow @NASA_MODIS
Tweet
The clouds parted over the Barents Sea in early August 2020, revealing swirls of blue, green, and teal staining the blue waters. The brilliant jewel-tones were created by a bloom of phytoplankton – microscopic, plant-like organisms that live in this region year-round, but when conditions are right, begin to reproduce explosively, creating those colorful floating colonies that can be easily seen from space.
Most of the phytoplankton appear milky-blue. The milky color suggests that this bloom might contain coccolithophores—microscopic plankton that are plated with white calcium carbonate. Coccolithophores tend to bloom in the Barents Sea from July through September, when this shallow northern sea is typically ice-free. Other colors in the scene may come from sediment or other species of phytoplankton.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of a spectacular phytoplankton bloom on August 5.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 8/5/2020
Resolutions:
1km (86.5 KB), 500m (235.4 KB), 250m (524.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The clouds parted over the Barents Sea in early August 2020, revealing swirls of blue, green, and teal staining the blue waters. The brilliant jewel-tones were created by a bloom of phytoplankton – microscopic, plant-like organisms that live in this region year-round, but when conditions are right, begin to reproduce explosively, creating those colorful floating colonies that can be easily seen from space.
Most of the phytoplankton appear milky-blue. The milky color suggests that this bloom might contain coccolithophores—microscopic plankton that are plated with white calcium carbonate. Coccolithophores tend to bloom in the Barents Sea from July through September, when this shallow northern sea is typically ice-free. Other colors in the scene may come from sediment or other species of phytoplankton.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of a spectacular phytoplankton bloom on August 5.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 8/5/2020
Resolutions:
1km (86.5 KB), 500m (235.4 KB), 250m (524.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
