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July 2, 2021 - Phytoplankton Bloom off of Scotland
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Bright jewel tones stained the waters off of Scotland’s Mainland Island on July 1, 2021. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the beautiful scene on that same day.
The swirling colors were created by a massive bloom of microscopic plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton. These tiny organisms use chlorophyll and other pigments to capture light for photosynthesis. The pigments absorb sunlight, so they change the color of light reflected from the sea surface back to the satellite sensor.
Phytoplankton live in these waters year-round in low numbers. When conditions are right—correct water temperature, abundant nutrients, and adequate sunlight—they can reproduce explosively to create vast floating blooms that are easily seen from space.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/1/2021
Resolutions:
1km (182.1 KB), 500m (493.1 KB), 250m (286.5 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Bright jewel tones stained the waters off of Scotland’s Mainland Island on July 1, 2021. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the beautiful scene on that same day.
The swirling colors were created by a massive bloom of microscopic plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton. These tiny organisms use chlorophyll and other pigments to capture light for photosynthesis. The pigments absorb sunlight, so they change the color of light reflected from the sea surface back to the satellite sensor.
Phytoplankton live in these waters year-round in low numbers. When conditions are right—correct water temperature, abundant nutrients, and adequate sunlight—they can reproduce explosively to create vast floating blooms that are easily seen from space.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/1/2021
Resolutions:
1km (182.1 KB), 500m (493.1 KB), 250m (286.5 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
