ScienceFOX 29 PhiladelphiaWhy the Pacific Ocean is turning blue: NASA Tracks historic El Niño
NASA satellites are tracking the Pacific Ocean turning bluer near the equator as a powerful El Niño warms the water and kills off green phytoplankton.
The waters of the Pacific Ocean near the equator are changing color, becoming noticeably bluer over the last few months.
NASA satellites have captured the equatorial Pacific Ocean turning noticeably bluer over recent months as a powerful El Niño heats the water.
Warmer water stops deep nutrients rising to the surface, causing green phytoplankton to die off, with scientists estimating an 83 per cent chance this is the strongest El Niño since 1950.
The warming has already raised sea levels near California and South America by more than a foot, while water levels near Australia have dropped by six to eight inches.
NASA's new PACE satellite, launched in 2024, can detect hundreds of ocean colours in real time, giving scientists an unprecedented view of how El Niño reshapes marine ecosystems.
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