Phytoplankton Bloom Off Argentina

Credit: NASA, Posted on: Tuesday, 2 January 2007, 14:05 CST Download full size image

Another lovely phytoplankton bloom was visible off the coast of Argentina in this MODIS Terra image, captured December 18, 2006. The rippling colors in the water are actually are microscopic marine plants - with summer approaching in the Southern Hemisphere, they are spending the long days growing rapidly!

The green and black coloration in the water show where the highest concentrations of phytoplantkon. Chlorophyll causes the green color. In addition, in black water, the phytoplankton are absorbing so much sunlight for food that only a little bit of light is reflected back to space.

This region of the world, between the Falkland Islands and the eastern coast of South America, seems to spawn large and beautiful phytoplankton blooms.

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