Start Date: End Date: Published Date Data Date
Data acquired February 23, 2008 1728 x 3112 2 MB - JPEG
Data acquired February 23, 2008 1728 x 3112 11 MB - GeoTIFF
Data acquired February 23, 2008 432 x 778 171 KB - JPEG
Data acquired February 23, 2008 432 x 778 198 KB - GeoTIFF
Data acquired February 23, 2008 JPEG
Data acquired February 23, 2008 540 x 600 JPEG
342 x 228 JPEG
In polar environments, tiny algae and other plant-like organisms that are the foundation of the ocean food web grow not just in the open ocean, but also within brine-filled pores and cracks in the sea ice. In the winter, sea ice insulates the water below, keeping it above freezing. Algae growing on the bottom of the ice can grow into long filaments that trail into the water. As the ice melts, and currents and tides jostle and crush the sea ice into slush and small pieces, the algae are released into the surface water. Blooms of algae and phytoplankton often occur along the ice edge.
NASA images by Jesse Allen, using MODIS data obtained courtesy of the Goddard Land Processes data archives (LAADS) and the SeaWiFS Project. Caption by Rebecca Lindsey, based on interpretation provided by Robert Massom, Australian Antarctic Division and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC, Australia; and Claire Parkinson, NASA-GSFC.
Published March 5, 2008 Data acquired February 23, 2008