NASA Photo Shows Turquoise Plankton Bloom in the Black Sea

Aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite, the MODIS captures imagery of the Earth’s water bodies. On May 29, it captured the data used to create this mesmerising image of phytoplankton blooming in the Black Sea.

The type of phytoplankton captured in the image are called coccolithophores, which are plated with white calcium carbonate. Their hues are clearly visible from space, and captured here as beautiful jewel-toned swirls in the waters of the Black Sea.

The final image above is composed from multiple passes over the region by the Aqua satellite, which was launched in 2002. The satellite studies the precipitation, evaporation, and cycling of water on our planet.

NASA have made the image available online in full resolution at this link.

(via NASA via DPReview)