• MODIS Pic of the Day 24 November 2021

    From Dan Richter@1:317/3 to All on Wed Nov 24 11:00:12 2021
    November 24, 2021 - Bloom off New Zealand

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    Bloom off New Zealand
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    Swirls of green and blue colored the deep blue waters of the South
    Pacific Ocean off the east coast of New Zealand as the surface waters
    reflected the shimmer of sunglint in mid-November 2021. The Moderate
    Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite
    acquired this true-color image on November 19.

    The jewel-toned colors riding the ocean currents are caused by a bloom
    of phytoplankton, which are microscopic plant-like organisms. They live
    in the waters year-round in small numbers but when conditions are
    favorable, they begin to reproduce explosively, creating giant “blooms”
    that are easily seen from space. The waters east of New Zealand often
    provide a rich environment for phytoplankton growth. This is where
    currents from the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean meet. As they pass
    by each other, the turbulence stirs up cool, nutrient-rich waters from
    the ocean depths. Springtime brings sufficient sunlight, helping spur
    the growth of the surface-dwelling phytoplankton.

    While the brilliant ocean color comes from living organisms,
    silver-toned sunglint is an optical phenomenon. This occurs when
    sunlight reflects off the surface of water at the same angle that a
    satellite sensor views it. The result is a mirror-like specular
    reflection of sunlight off the water and back at the satellite sensor
    or astronaut.

    Image Facts
    Satellite: Aqua
    Date Acquired: 11/19/2021
    Resolutions: 1km (1.6 MB), 500m (4.8 MB), 250m (27.5 MB)
    Bands Used: 1,4,3
    Image Credit: MO'DIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



    https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-11-24

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