Eastern Coast of Greenland 08/02/03

MODIS image of Northern Russia

MODIS true color image of Greenland on the 2nd of August 2003.

Floating off of Greenland's eastern coast, clouds of phytoplankton thrive in the cold, nutrient-rich waters. Phytoplankton are microscopic marine organisms that use chlorophyll, like their land-based plant relatives, to harness sunlight in the energy-producing efforts, a process called photosynthesis. This true-color Aqua MODIS image was acquired on August 2, 2003.

Image and text courtesy of NASA's MODIS Land Rapid Response Team.