NASA MODIS Image of the Day: December 26, 2011 – Phytoplankton bloom near Falkland Islands, South Atlantic
NASA MODIS Image of the Day: December 26, 2011 - Phytoplankton bloom near Falkland Islands, South At
Shades of iridescent blue dominated the Atlantic Ocean east of the Falkland Islands in mid-December 2011.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image on December 14, 2011.
Bright swirls form a giant arc hundreds of kilometers long. The blue streak owed its existence to countless microscopic organisms. Phytoplankton—plant-like marine organisms that convert sunlight to energy—thrive in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Malvinas Current. Also known as the Falkland Current, it carries cold water along the southeast coast of South America. The phytoplankton-friendly conditions lead to frequent colorful blooms.
