This picture acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission – by its Ocean and Land Color Instrument – exhibits excessive concentrations of chlorophyll in yellow-green alongside the shoreline of South Australia, close to Adelaide. Chlorophyll-a is a key indicator of the presence of algae within the ocean.
The bloom, first detected in mid-March 2025 across the Fleurieu Peninsula, is brought on by the marine dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi. For greater than 5 months, it has persevered and fluctuated alongside the coast. Whereas the algae just isn’t labeled as poisonous to people, it may well irritate the pores and skin and eyes and should trigger respiratory discomfort. For marine life, nevertheless, it poses a severe risk, as it may well harm the gills of fish and result in dying.
The Government of South Australia has linked the bloom to a chronic marine heatwave that has been affecting southern Australia since September 2024. Karenia mikimotoi sometimes thrives in nutrient-rich, stratified waters the place mild and stability permit it to proliferate.
But, the ocean stays a extremely complicated and dynamic system. That is the place satellites orbiting above, like Sentinel-3, play a significant function, offering a broader perspective that helps scientists and decision-makers piece collectively the complete story of occasions unfolding on the floor.
