Phytoplankton bloom off the Pacific Northwest

A muddy green cloud floats in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington and Oregon in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image, taken on July 23, 2004, by the Terra satellite. The color is caused by an algal bloom near the surface of the ocean. Without corroborating data collected at sea level, it’s impossible to tell which species of phytoplankton are coloring the water or if the bloom is harmful. This is, however, an area known to be afflicted by harmful algal blooms, and the

Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Source:

Terra > MODIS

Collection:

Visible Earth