MODIS - Aqua

Since late March 2003, a phytoplankton bloom has been occurring off the western coast of South Africa. Reports from watersampling at the site indicate that it is a rather unusual red tide containing a mixture of organisms called dinoflagellates and a species of coccolithophore called Syrachosphaera pulchra, which is an unusually large species of coccolithophore. A coccolithophore is an organism that has a chalky, calcium-based outer covering that reflects sunlight very strongly back from the ocean surface. Ocean waters that contain the organism appear very bright blue or green.

The southwest African coastline centered on Namibia is swirling with blues and greens. These may be due to plumes of hydrogen sulfide gas welling up from the bottom of the ocean.

Off the coast of Namibia in southwest Africa, a phytoplankton bloom colors the waters of the Atlantic Ocean light blue and green.