Ocean Color Image Gallery

Microscopic Particles in the Air and In the Water

Clouds of dust can be seen drifting in the air currents over the Arabian Sea while clouds of phytoplankton drift in the ocean currents below. Each set of microscopic particles — through selective absorption and scattering of solar photons — makes its own modifications to the reflected colors that are detected by orbiting spectrophotometers.

The above VIIRS image was collected on December 21, 2015. Click on it to get a larger version.

The Earthdata group has published an article about recent wintertime Noctiluca blooms in the Arabian Sea.