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NASA » Gulf Coast Sediments
Gulf Coast Sediments from Rivers and Storm Waves
A November, 2009 satellite image released by NASA's Earth Observatory, caption by Holi Riebeek.
| Satellite image of sediment plumes in Gulf of Mexico waters on November 10, 2009. Image credit: Jeff Schmaltz, NASA / Earth Observatory. |
| Location map for the Gulf of Mexico Sediment image displayed above by NASA. |
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Sediment Churned Up by Tropical Storm Ida
Clouds of sediment clouded the Gulf of Mexico on November 10, 2009, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this photo-like image. Much of the dirt that colors
the water is likely resuspended sediment dredged up from the sea floor in shallow waters. The tan-green
sediment-colored water transitions to clearer dark blue water near the edge of the continental shelf where
the water becomes deeper.
The ocean turbulence that brought the sediment to the surface is readily evident
in the textured waves and eddies within the tan and green waters. Tropical Storm Ida had come ashore over
Alabama and Florida, immediately east of the area shown here, a few hours before the image was acquired.
The storm’s wind and waves may have churned up waters farther west.
Sediment Washed Into the Gulf by Rivers
A second source of sediment is visible along the shore. Many rivers, including the Mississippi River, drain
into the Gulf of Mexico in this region. The river plumes are dark brown that fade to tan and green as the
sediment dissipates. According to the National Climate Data Center, October 2009 was the wettest October in the
115-year weather record for the south-central United States, which includes the area shown in this image. Rivers
throughout the region ran high, likely carrying more sediment than usual into the Gulf.
The rivers also carry nutrients like iron from soil and nitrogen from fertilizers. These nutrients fuel the growth
of phytoplankton, tiny, plant-like organisms that grow in the ocean surface waters. Phytoplankton blooms color the
ocean blue and green and may be contributing to the color seen here.
References: Nation Climate Data Center. (2009, October). State of the Climate National Overview, October 2009. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Accessed November 11, 2009.
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