MSGID: 1:317/3 629657af   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   May 31, 2022 - Ocean Color off the Coast of Southeastern Brazil   
      
      Blooms along Brazil   
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      A halo of turquoise colored the waters off the coast of southeastern   
      Brazil in late May 2022, creating gorgeous swirls in the South Atlantic   
      Ocean. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on   
      board NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired a true-color image of the colorful   
      stains on May 24.   
      
      These swirls are likely created by a combination of sediment and by a   
      bloom of phytoplankton, which are microscopic plant-like organisms that   
      live in these waters year-round in small numbers. When conditions are   
      just right (adequate nutrients, correct daylight length, and favorable   
      water temperature), phytoplankton often begin to reproduce explosively   
      to create large floating “blooms” that can easily be seen from space.   
      Such blooms are common in this location, off the Brazilian states of   
      Santa Catarina (north) and Rio Grade de Sul, which lies in the south   
      and encompasses most of the land in the image, and much of the color in   
      the offshore waters can most likely be attributed to phytoplankton.   
      
      When sediment is swept into ocean waters, most often by rivers pouring   
      into the ocean or from rains washing sediment off the shoreline, the   
      sediment appears tan near the surface of the ocean. However, as   
      sediment sinks under water, its reflectivity changes—and so does its   
      appearance from space. Sediment will change from a muddy tan to green   
      and then to blue as it sinks deeper. An example of this color change   
      can be seen in the Lagoa de Patos, the large enclosed lagoon seen near   
      the southern coast. The northern section of the Lagoa de Patos, where   
      sediment is thick and sitting near the top of the water, appears muddy   
      tan. Moving toward the south, sediment is settling and takes on a green   
      appearance. The South Atlantic Ocean just off the beach next to the   
      Lagoa de Patos also appears green, undoubtedly from similar settling of   
      sediment.   
      
      Northeastern Brazil has been battered by severe rain and floods since   
      early 2022, with at least four major flooding events within five   
      months. These floods have also triggered deadly landslides, as well as   
      filled rivers with sediment and debris. According to new reports on May   
      30, 56 people were reported killed by flood or landslides in the   
      northeastern state of Pernambuco and another 56 were missing. One   
      person has been reported dead in Alagoas as well. While the section of   
      Brazil seen in this image was not directly hit by the most recent   
      floods, it is likely that major rivers are transporting more sediment   
      than usual, and this also is contributing to the near-shore color of   
      the water off southeastern Brazil.   
      
      Image Facts   
      Satellite:  Aqua   
      Date Acquired: 5/24/2022   
      Resolutions:  1km (414.7 KB),  500m (1.1 MB),  250m (740.7 KB)   
      Bands Used: 1,4,3   
      Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC   
      
      
      
   https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2022-05-31   
       
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