October 2, 2022 - Sediment off South Korea

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The waters surrounding the southern coast of South Korea were tinted
with muddy-tan and tinged with green in late September 2022. The
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s
Terra satellite acquire a true-color image of the scene on September
28.

The striking colors the result of sediment floating in the Yellow Sea
(west) and Sea of Japan (east) off the coast of South Korea. More than
1,000 islands sit off the southwest coast of the country, and most are
surrounded by shallow tidal flats. As tides wash across the flats, mud,
sand, and other sediment is stirred up to float on the surface of the
waters. The tidal flats, called "getbol" in Korean, are highly
productive ecosystems. The mineral-rich sediments are full of
microorganisms that attract marine animals such as clams and mud
octopuses. The flats serve also as an important stopover for many
migratory birds.

When sediment floats near the surface, it lends a tan or mud-colored
tone to the water, as can be seen around the islands of Sinan County.
However, as sediment sinks under the surface, the reflectivity changes,
making it appear green and then blue as it sinks deeper under the
surface. This transition can be seen most clearly around the islands,
but also occurs off the southeastern coast of South Korea.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 9/30/2022
Resolutions: 1km (193.6 KB), 500m (507.2 KB), 250m (1.1 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=2022-10-02

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