June 8, 2023 - Phytoplankton Bloom off Western Europe

Phytoplankton
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A large patch of bright blue marked the presence of a spring bloom of
phytoplankton in Western Europe in early June 2023. The Moderate
Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra
satellite acquired a true-color image of the blooming Celtic Sea on
June 6. The bloom was located in south of Ireland and west of Wales
(northeast), England (south of Wales) and France (southeast).

Each spring, lengthening sunlight provides the energy for the floating,
microscopic, plant-like organisms to reproduce rapidly in this
location. The first phytoplankton to appear are often a type called
“coccolithophores”, which have a distinct milky-view color when a bloom
is visible from space. What makes coccolithophores different from other
species of phytoplankton is their calcite shells and their ability to
live in more temperate waters with fewer nutrients than many other
species.

Aside from coloring ocean waters, phytoplankton play a large role in
sustaining ocean ecosystems and in global climate. The tiny plants are
the base of the marine food chain, and places where blooms are frequent
tend to support a thriving marine population. Phytoplankton can
influence global climate by regulating gases in the atmosphere. Like
all plants, phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen as
they grow. When the plants die, they sink to the ocean floor, carrying
the absorbed carbon with them, creating a carbon sink that helps trap
carbon dioxide (an important greenhouse gas) and remove it from the
atmosphere.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 6/4/2023
Resolutions: 1km (614.5 KB), 500m (1.7 MB), 250m (4 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=2023-06-08

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