November 6, 2022 - Bloom off South America

Bloom
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A massive spring bloom of phytoplankton colored the waters off of
Patagonia in early November 2022. The Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Aqua satellite captured a
true-color image of the region on November 3. The jewel-toned hues
swirl through the entire ocean visible in this image, with green swirls
dominant near-shore and milky blue tones predominate further out in the
ocean.

Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that float near the
surface of the ocean in this area year-round. When conditions are
right—warming temperatures, correct sunlight, and abundant
nutrients—phytoplankton can reproduce explosively, creating massive and
colorful blooms that can be easily seen from space. Different species
of phytoplankton contain varying types of pigment and the blooms may
appear different from space. For example, milky-blue tones indicate an
abundance of coccolithophores, which surround themselves with
chalky-colored calcite plates.

Phytoplankton blooms frequently occur off the Patagonian coast for a
reason: it is the convergence zone between the warm, southbound Brazil
Current near the coast and the cold, northbound Malvinas/Falkland
Current farther out to sea. As the currents brush past each other,
turbulent swirls and eddies form, causing cold, nutrient-rich water to
well up toward the surface from deeper in the ocean. These rich waters
provide a buffet to eager, growing phytoplankton. These blooms most
often occur in the Southern Hemisphere springtime.

Image Facts
Satellite: Aqua
Date Acquired: 11/3/2022
Resolutions: 1km (1.9 MB), 500m (5.2 MB), 250m (12.1 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=2022-11-06

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