Springtime in the Bay of Biscay
Springtime in the Bay of Biscay, off the
coast of France, as in most places, is a season of abundant growth. On April
20, 2013, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard
NASA's Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of the dynamic growth of a
springtime phytoplankton bloom.
The swirling colors indicate the presence of vast numbers of phytoplankton – tiny plant-like microorganisms that live in both fresh and salt water. Although these organisms live year-round in the Bay of Biscay, it is only when conditions are right that explosive blooms occur. In spring, the lengthening sunlight, the increased nutrient load swept into the Bay from ocean currents and from snowmelt carried by freshwater rivers, combined with warming waters create the perfect conditions to spur phytoplankton in to tremendous growth. The result is a swirling, multi-hued discoloration that can be easily seen from space.
Each year, typically from March through April, such blooms occur in the Bay of Biscay. By May, however, conditions are not as favorable and the blooms fade, then disappear.
The swirling colors indicate the presence of vast numbers of phytoplankton – tiny plant-like microorganisms that live in both fresh and salt water. Although these organisms live year-round in the Bay of Biscay, it is only when conditions are right that explosive blooms occur. In spring, the lengthening sunlight, the increased nutrient load swept into the Bay from ocean currents and from snowmelt carried by freshwater rivers, combined with warming waters create the perfect conditions to spur phytoplankton in to tremendous growth. The result is a swirling, multi-hued discoloration that can be easily seen from space.
Each year, typically from March through April, such blooms occur in the Bay of Biscay. By May, however, conditions are not as favorable and the blooms fade, then disappear.
Duelo de avutardas: no hay dolor cuando se pelea por la hembra; Tres mil medusas despliegan sus tentáculos en China; La llamada del silencio, el Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid reclama su lugar; Dalton Hooker y la primera expedición al Himalaya; Las mejores fotos de viajeros de National Geographic; Una nariz electrónica distingue peras de manzanas; Recuperan la voz de Alexander Graham Bell; Un sistema informático predice las ventas de un libro; Resucitarán la primera página web de la historia; Por qué a los franceses les fascina la grafología; La antimateria también se ve afectada por la gravedad; Vigilando el cometa que viene; El pequeño cohete europeo Vega, listo para salir; Científicos alteran genéticamente una raza de vacas para que nazcan sin cuernos; La hepatitis B se originó en las aves durante el Cretácico; Acabar con la lepra "por el precio de un helado"; Microbios del grifo; ONUSIDA alerta sobre un retroceso en la lucha contra el VIH por la crisis; Realizan un trasplante de cordón para intentar curar a un niño con VIH; Primer trasplante de una tráquea bioartificial en una niña; Las medidas de austeridad pueden afectar la salud; Ellas muestran más su empatía; i Seis cereales con excelentes propiedades
NASA Now Minute: Space Science: Voyager’s Grand Tour of the Solar System
Planetary scientist Lou Mayo discusses what we’re learning from the Voyager missions, where the two spacecraft are currently located and some of the incredible discoveries made on the long journey to the edge of our solar system. NASA Now Minutes are excerpts from a weekly current events program available for classroom use at the NASA Explorer Schools Virtual Campus located at: › http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario