Shimmering Atlantic: Plankton bloom spotted off UK coast

Waters in the Atlantic Ocean off of the coast of Britain shone vibrantly earlier this month.

A phytoplankton bloom in the northern Atlantic produced a stunning colour display visible from orbiting satellites on June 4th.

Phytoplanktons are microscopic organisms which like land plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Occasionally we see plankton blooms, and the large, colourful population make the waters shimmer.

In isolation, their presence is not a negative sign, but large blooms can block sunlight from reaching ocean life living in their shadow below, and some species can be toxic.

A bloom can last days or weeks, depending on how long their source of nutrition sustains their growth. Once a bloom consumes all the available food, the plankton die and sink below the surface.

When viewed from above, their appearance can also help highlight eddies and currents of the area they are in.