Phytoplankton blooms off Iceland

Streaky, swirling clouds of phytoplankton float in the waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean off of Iceland’s east coast in this true-color image, taken by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on August 11, 2004. Green vegetation spreads across Iceland’s surfaces, while the four permanent glaciers (Langjokull and Hofsjokull in the interior west, Myrdalsjokull on the southern coast, and Vatnajokull on the eastern coast) stand out in stark white.

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Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Published August 12, 2004
Data acquired August 11, 2004

Source:

Aqua > MODIS

Collection:

Visible Earth