New Zealand phytoplankton bloom

4 comments for “New Zealand phytoplankton bloom”

1. Hello All.
   Went to the website recommended by Melissa and was pleased to confirm that the lovely colours were created by goodies! Fishing in that area should be rewarding.
   Peter
   —-

2. Hi Melissa,   At the bottom of the picture of the phytoplankton bloom there is a shape that looks like a photo of a cyclone. This is off the coast of Kaikoura, now famous for its whale watch enterprise. In Maori Kai = to eat and koura = crayfish (rock lobster.) My son in law keeps us well supplied with these.   About two miles off the Kaikoura coast the sea bed drops rapidly to several miles deep due to a continental shelf. Here you would have warm coastal water meeting a deep sea current that flows direct from Antarctica. If you have a boat that will get you that far out safely and have long lines for fishing the rewards are great. Migrating whales feed well in the area.   The area in the photo, around Wellington, Kaikoura and Blenheim has a rich history of whaling in the early European settlement of the area. I can still remember seeing a whale being rendered down whilst on a field trip in the area as late as in 1965.   Dave   As I mentioned in previous postings our October weather has been unusually cold. Tonight we have winds and rain that come direct from Antarctica. The temperature has dropped from 20* at 5pm to about 4* now at 10pm. I fear the daffodil foliage will still be green when digging is due to start in January.

3. Some New Age types and some mathematicians might think that there are fractals at work here.
   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal especially the pics about half way down.
   Or, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal

4. 
   George:
   While the New Age types might say there are "fractals at work" they’d be seriously wrong.  The fractals don’t do anything.  They’re just a mathematical way of describing some natural processes where form seems to be independent of size scale, not a cause of anything.  But you knew that.  However, I have nothing against fractals, and they appear in one of my poems:

   Sonoma Road

    

   I like to drive most winding roads,

   The swing of turns the changing scene,

   But this road▓s getting on my nerves,

   And I begin to think it bodes

   Less forward progress than I▓d hoped,

   As into curve on curve I lean.

    

   This fractal path o▓er hill and vale

   To higher order does aspire,

   Till road traversed and progress made

   Their firm connection seem to fail.

   I feel confused, this goes too long

   Of ever tighter turns I tire.

       ╘ Melissa M. Reading, 1997

   Melissa

   At 11:26 AM 10/28/2009, you wrote:

   Some New Age types and some mathematicians might think that there are
   fractals at work here.

   See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal  especially the pics about
   half way down.

   Or, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal

   On Oct 27, 2009, at 2:24 PM, Melissa M. Reading wrote:

   http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=40924&src=nha

   Satellite photo of a spring phytoplankton bloom just east of New
   Zealand, where there is a convergence of warm and cold currents. If
   you go to the link you can see a much more detailed image over a
   larger area.

   Melissa

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