Regardless of the amount of winter ice cover, the waters off of the Alaskan coast usually come alive each spring with blooms of phytoplankton. These blooms can form striking patterns of blue and green seawater, such as those visible in this image of the Chukchi Sea acquired on June 18, 2018, by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. Blooms are a common occurrence this time of year. Two main water masses flow from the Bering Strait and enter the southern Chukchi. One type, known as “Bering Sea Water,” is cool, salty, and rich in nutrients. This water fuels most of the phytoplankton growth, primarily diatoms, which are likely the main reason for the colorful green waters pictured here. (Sediments could also be contributing to the bright green areas.) Credits: NASA/U. S. Geological Survey/Norman Kuring/Kathryn Hansen #nasa #landsat #beringsea #chukchi #chukchi #phytoplankton #blooms #sea #satellite #earth #observation #alaska #thesea