MSGID: 1:317/3 64821744   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   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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