Image acquired by the Operational Land Imager on Landsat 8 on May 5, 2018 shows a phytoplankton bloom in the North Sea. Phytoplankton are most abundant in the North Sea in late spring and early summer due to high levels of nutrients in the water. Melting sea ice and increased runoff from European rivers-a product of melting snow and spring rains-carry a heavy load of nutrients out to sea, while also freshening the surface waters. Intense seasonal winds blowing over the relatively shallow sea also cause a lot of mixing that brings nutrients to the surface. (Photo/Agencies)
