Mysterious Black Water in Florida Bay
Explanation:
What is causing the water in
Florida
Bay to turn black?
The mysterious black color could be seen as
early as last December in images taken by the
SeaWIFS instrument on board the
Earth-orbiting
SeaStar satellite.
During the darkest period in February, when the
above image was taken, visibility in the usually
transparent/turquoise water
dropped below three meters.
Samples have been taken and are currently being analyzed.
Early tests show the black water has normal
salinity and
oxygen and
might be an unusual nontoxic
algae bloom.
Whatever the cause, the black water has real ecological
and economic consequences, as normally abundant
fish
are completely absent.
More
recent SeaWIFS images show the black water to be
breaking up into smaller pockets.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
