Phytoplankton Bloom Off Ireland

Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Tuesday, 13 June 2006, 06:04 CDT Download full size image

MODIS on the Aqua satellite captured this unique image of a phytoplankton bloom off the coat of Ireland. Swirls of phytoplankton, microscopic plants that grow in sunlit ocean surface waters, color the ocean brilliant blues and greens.

The ocean normally appears black in true-color, photo-like satellite imagery. England appears to the east of Ireland. Towards the south of England, there appear to be smaller phytoplankton blooms near the coastline!

Phytoplankton play a large role in sustaining ocean ecosystems and in global climate. The tiny plants are the base of the marine food chain, and places where blooms are frequent tend to support a thriving marine population.

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