Southeastern Europe and the Middle East
May 07, 2002
Provided by: NASA/GSFC, ORBIMAGE, SeaWiFS Project
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; Norman Kuring
This SeaWiFS satellite image, taken on May 1, 2002, shows the Balkans region of southeastern Europe, a portion of the Middle East and northeastern Africa. Most of the Balkans as well as Jordan, Israel, and Egypt are cloud free. Nutrients carried by the Danube River, which empties into the Black Sea, contributes to the eutrophic state (oxygen deficient) of this nearly closed-off body of water. Phytoplankton blooms are visible (turquoise color) to the east of the Danube's delta in the north central part of the Black Sea. In contrast to the Black Sea, the oligotrophic (abundant in dissolved oxygen) Mediterranean Sea, appears somewhat bluer or at least not as dark as the appropriately named Black Sea. Note that some snow is still visible on the alpine peaks of the Carpathian Mountains in central Romania.
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