Subj : MODIS Pic of the Day 05 April 2022
To   : All
From : Dan Richter
Date : Tue Apr 05 2022 12:00:42

April 5, 2022 - Phytoplankton Bloom off of Argentina

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   Bright milky-blue tones colored the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast
   of Argentina in early April 2022. The Moderate Resolution Imaging
   Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a
   true-color image of the striking hues on April 2. The brightest line of
   color stretches about 1,000 km (620 miles) southward from the same
   latitude as the mid-Rio de la Plata, disappearing under clouds in the
   south as the bright hues dim and the streak broadens.

   These jewel-like tones mark the presence of a huge bloom of
   microscopic, plant-like organisms known as phytoplankton. They live in
   these waters year-round, but when conditions are just right (water
   temperature, daylight length, and abundant nutrients), phytoplankton
   can reproduce explosively to create massive blooms that can be easily
   seen from space.

   Phytoplankton thrive in the ocean waters off the Argentine coast,
   thanks to the waters’ cool temperature and richness of nutrients. In
   this area, the Malvinas (Falkland) Current sweeps northward along the
   continental shelf, bringing with it cold water from the Southern Ocean.
   The action of the current sweeping along the edge of the shelf pulls
   nutrients up from the ocean floor. These nutrients serve as a natural
   fertilizer that promotes phytoplankton growth.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Terra
   Date Acquired: 4/2/2022
   Resolutions:  1km (781.2 KB),  500m (2.2 MB),  250m (3.1 MB)
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2022-04-05
 
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