Phytoplankton bloom near Cape Verde Islands

Phytoplankton bloom near Cape Verde Islands

  • Credit:

    Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Dust from the Sahara Desert blows out over the Atlantic Ocean, and nutrients present in the dust "fertilize" the water, supporting blooms of marine plant life. This true-color MODIS image from November 5, 2001, shows a bloom of phytoplankton occurring in the Atlantic Ocean beneath a cloud of dust. At the image's lower left are the Cape Verde Islands.

Images & Animations

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  • 1200x900
  • JPEG 93 KB
  • 2400x1800
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Metadata

  • Sensor:

    Terra - MODIS

  • Data Date:

    November 5, 2001

  • Visualization Date:

    November 5, 2001
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