The Modis instrument on the Terra satellite has captured images of a giant algal bloom occurring off the coast of Antarctica.
The bloom is estimated to be around 200 km wide and 100 km long, and, while scientists aren’t exactly sure what caused the bloom, one theory states that it was caused by recent summer winds blowing iron off of the Antarctic continent.
"Very, very tiny amounts of iron act as a nutrient. Usually algae in this region are iron limited and so when they get a small amount of iron and they have everything else they need, that's enough for them to bloom," said research scientist Mark Curran.
Dr Curran added that the green growth is thought to be phaeocystis algae, and the bloom will benefit most of the food chain.
"You might expect more animal behaviour in this region as a result of predators chasing the smaller species that feed on off this kind of algae," he said.
"[There's] krill and other zoo plankton and then of course you've got the penguins, the seals and whales that will feed on the fish or the krill itself."
The algae has been floating around for about 20 days, and may stay around for a hiwl yet, but Dr Curran assures us that it is a natural event, is unlikely to negatively impact the environment, and will eventually disperse naturally.
"They die off, things like bacteria comes through there and feeds on the material and then the material eventually will sink to the bottom of the ocean – anything that hasn't been consumed by predators higher up the food chain," he said.
But hopefully not before the research vessel Aurora Australis travels through the region.
The ship recently left Mawson Station, west of where the bloom is floating, and is likely to travel through the area shortly.
Dr Curran says it is hoped the Aurora Australis will be able to collect water samples from the area to bring home so scientists can try and identify it.
