Phytoplankton Blooms Around Los Angeles and Santa Catalina Island
Countless microscopic cells in the Pacific Ocean around Los Angeles and Santa Catalina Island harvest sunlight using photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll. Thanks to those pigments, these phytoplankton were collectively visible as green swirls from 705 km (438 mi) away.
The image was acquired by Landsat 8 on November 27, 2021. Ships, and in some cases their wakes, can be seen concentrated near Long Beach Harbor.
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Images credit: Norman Kuring (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, retired)
The image was acquired by Landsat 8 on November 27, 2021. Ships, and in some cases their wakes, can be seen concentrated near Long Beach Harbor.
Click to see a larger version of this image
Images credit: Norman Kuring (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, retired)