Start Date: End Date: Published Date Data Date
Data acquired May 11 - 11, 2002 1200 x 900 237 KB - JPEG
Data acquired May 11 - 11, 2002 2400 x 1800 825 KB - JPEG
Data acquired May 11 - 11, 2002 4800 x 3600 2 MB - JPEG
Brightly colored waters in the Black Sea give evidence of the growth of tiny marine plants called phytoplankton, which contain chlorophyll and other pigments that reflect light different ways, producing the colorful displays. The very bright blue waters could be an organism called a coccolithophores, which has a highly reflective calcium carbonate coating that appears bright blue (or sometimes white) in true-color (visible) imagery. However, other organisms, such as cyanobacteria can also appear that color, and so often scientists will compare the ratios of reflectance at one wavelength of light to another to decide what organisms might be present. This series of images shows a bloom occurring in the Black Sea from May 11, 2002, to May 18.
Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC
Published May 13, 2002 Data acquired May 11 - 11, 2002