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Chatham Rise

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science1 month ago•6 min saved

Giant Turquoise Ring of Phytoplankton Traced to Ocean Floor Topography Near Chatham Islands

NASA’s Earth Observatory captured a giant turquoise ring off the Chatham Islands in January 2026, a massive coccolithophore phytoplankton bloom shaped by the Chatham Rise seafloor topography and surface currents; satellites (NOAA-20 VIIRS) track such events over wide areas, while no direct water sampling was performed, highlighting how underwater geology fuels surface life and can affect marine ecosystems.

via Indian Defence Review|

#chatham-rise #coccolithophores #nasa-earth-observatory

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Glowing Plankton Ring Spotted Around Chatham Islands from Space

NASA’s NOAA-20 satellite captured a large near-infrared image of a luminous coccolithophore-dominated plankton bloom forming a ring around New Zealand’s Chatham Islands. The bloom, one of the largest in recent decades, highlights the Chatham Rise’s role in fostering surface productivity, while the same underwater plateau is linked to frequent whale strandings in shallow waters, illustrating how ocean features can support life yet pose risks to marine mammals.

via Indian Defence Review|

#chatham-rise #coccolithophores #nasa-earth-observatory

science1 month ago•91 min saved

Halo of glowing plankton surrounds NZ’s Chatham Islands, powered by a hidden undersea plateau

A January 2026 satellite image captured a bright halo of coccolithophore phytoplankton circling New Zealand’s Chatham Islands. The bloom is driven by the Chatham Rise, a shallow underwater plateau that channels cold, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, creating ideal conditions for algal blooms in summer. While this natural spectacle highlights the region’s rich marine life, the same hidden bathymetry is linked to deadly cetacean strandings in the area, underscoring how underwater geography shapes both ecosystems and marine hazards.

via Live Science|

#cetacean-strandings #chatham-islands #chatham-rise