NASA MODIS Image of the Day: August 29, 2011 – Phytoplankton bloom off New York and New Jersey
A large phytoplankton bloom painted the waters off the shores of New York and New Jersey with various hues of green in late summer, 2011.
The Moderate Imaging Radiospectrometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite captured this massive bloom on August 19, 2011.
The State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reported that the bloom results from an upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that allows algae that is already in the water to grow rapidly. It is located two to three miles offshore and is not expected to affect beaches, water quality, or public health. The organisms in this bloom have been identified as species harmless to human health. Small blooms are common in the summertime in these waters. This bloom is exceptionally large, extending from approximately Montauk, New York to Cape May, New Jersey, a distance of about 200 miles. Such large blooms result from extended periods of offshore winds, which cause strong upwelling in coastal waters.
