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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