West Africa Winds

[04-May-24] The relationship between wind-blown dust and offshore primary productivity is capture in this image of West Africa and its adjacent coast. In the ocean, green colors reveal high concentrations of microscopic algae known as phytoplankton. These organisms thrive on the nutrients carried by Africa's wind-blown dust. This image was taken by the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) sensor aboard the PACE satellite on May 4, 2024. Learn about southwestern Africa's geologic history, ocean currents and microscopic life in this story: Puzzling Out with PACE.