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Ive had a wonderful few mornings photography locally and was nice to meet up with Kevin Carr another local photographer this morning i know from flickr… Im shattered now after 2 430am starts but happy with my productivity getting a few shots in the mist iv been waiting for for a few years… i just hope when i open them up on the computer and do the PP they have been worth the wait!
"Hitching a Ride" A Rare Breeder in Britain.
British population has shifted from southern Scotland to Northern England, however productivity remains generally low, and up to 40% of the population have bred at a single sight.
With heartfelt and genuine thanks for your kind visit. Have a beautiful day, be well, keep your eyes open, appreciate the beauty surrounding you, enjoy creating, stay safe, and laugh often! ❤️❤️❤️
"There are millions of US citizens, from all identity categories, who never recovered from the financial crisis. They might just be a bit bored with the claim of the New York Times that productivity has never been higher. The liberal press, and liberal Aaron Sorkin, tell the people they have nothing to complain about. They are annoyed with the people whose lives just don’t match up with all the hopeful noise about the GDP. How dare they not see that their illness, lack of education and absence of hope or job security is no reason for them not to believe a single thing that comes out of any politician’s mouth or an economist’s formulations?
Some people are thick enough to confuse bigotry with anti-globalisation, so I can’t blame you for telling me, along with the liberal internet, that “kindness” is the answer to a world in which 62 people hold most of its wealth."
dailyreview.com.au/letter-fictional-daughter-us-election/...
"Life on a farm in Italy at the end of the 19th century. Many poor country families live there, and the owner pays them by their productivity. One of the families has a very clever child, and they decide to send him to school instead of making him help them, although this represents a great sacrifice. The boy must get up very early and walk several miles to get to the school. One day the boy's shoes break while returning home, but they do not have money to buy another pair. What can they do?"—Michel Rudoy IMDB
Studies show that taking a weed break allows your mind to rest, recharge and refocus, which can directly improve your productivity for the rest of the day, at least for katydids ツ゚
Dhanbad (Inde) - Les mineurs clandestins ont deux techniques pour transporter les blocs de charbon. On devrait parler d’anthracite, véritable nom du charbon de terre, considéré comme étant de qualité supérieure pour le chauffage. Pour les petits blocs, ils utilisent des paniers tressés - comme celui qui est sur la photo - qu’ils posent directement sur la tête. Un chiffon s’interpose entre la tête et le panier pour amortir les chocs. La charge est de vingt à trente de kilos au minimum. Question de rentabilité et de productivité. Pour le charbon d’un seul bloc, à partir de 50 kilos, dont l’usage d’un panier est rendu impossible par les dimensions du minerai, il est transporté directement sur la tête. Bien entendu, en bloc ou en panier, les transporteurs sont aidés par leurs collègues pour hisser la charge sur leur tête.
La prouesse physique ne s’arrête pas là. Il faut tenir compte du terrain particulièrement accidenté et friable, d’autant que les mineurs illégaux ne sont chaussés que de tongs, quand ils ne sont pas purement et simplement pieds nus. Cette configuration du terrain rend la marche particulièrement instable. Je sais de quoi je parle. Malgré mes robustes chaussures de randonnée, j’ai glissé à plusieurs reprises, provoquant l’hilarité - et la sympathie - des mineurs. Et encore, je ne transportais pas mon matériel photo en équilibre sur la tête.
Dhanbad (India) - Illegal miners have two techniques for transporting coal blocks. We should talk about anthracite, the real name for earthen charcoal, considered to be of superior quality for heating. For small blocks, they use woven baskets - like the one in the photo - which they place directly on the head. A cloth is placed between the head and the basket to cushion the shocks. The load is twenty to thirty kilos at least. Question of profitability and productivity. For coal in a single block, from 50 kilos, the use of a basket is made impossible by the dimensions of the ore, it is transported directly on the head. Of course, in blocks or in baskets, the transporters are helped by their colleagues to hoist the load on their heads.
The physical prowess doesn’t stop there. It is necessary to take into account the particularly rugged and crumbly terrain, especially since the illegal miners only wear flip-flops, when they are not simply barefoot. This configuration of the terrain makes walking particularly unstable. I know what I'm talking about. Despite my sturdy trekking shoes, I slipped several times, causing laughter - and sympathy - from the miners. And i wasn't carrying my photo equipment balanced on my head.
[From www.treehugger.com/health/5-health-benefits-houseplants.html]
Houseplants have been going in and out of vogue ever since the early Greeks and Romans starting bringing their plants in from the outdoors. The Victorians loved their potted palms and the 70s wouldn’t have been the same without ferns and spider plants … everywhere. Current style dictates a lighter hand with the green things – sculptural stems and succulents rule the roost – but the truth is this: Houseplants should transcend trends. The benefits they confer should make us consider them a necessity rather than an object of décor, because honestly, good health should never be out of style. If you need convincing, here are some of the ways that bringing plants inside helps us out.
1. They give an assist in breathing
Inhaling brings oxygen into the body, exhaling releases carbon dioxide. During photosynthesis, plants do the opposite, of sorts: They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, making plants and people great partners when it comes to gasses. Plants help to increase oxygen levels, and our bodies appreciate that.
But here’s something to know: When photosynthesis stops at night, most plants switch things up and absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide. However, a few special plants – like orchids, succulents and epiphytic bromeliads – flip that script and take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Meaning, use these plants in bedrooms to keep the oxygen flowing at night.
2. They help deter illness
In the great outdoors, plant roots tap the groundwater table for water which then evaporates through its leaves in a process known as transpiration. Studies show that this accounts for about 10 percent of the moisture in the atmosphere! The same thing happens at home (minus the groundwater table part), which increases the humidity indoors. While this may sound unappealing during hot moist months, it’s a gift during drier months or if you live in an arid clime. According to Bayer Advanced, studies at the Agricultural University of Norway document that using plants in interior spaces decreases the incidence of dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs. And other research reveals that higher absolute humidity is conducive for decreased survival and transmission of the flu virus.
3. They clean the air
NASA has spent a lot of time researching air quality in sealed environments, which makes sense. Extensive research by the space agency discovered a then-new concept in indoor air quality improvement in which plants play a pivtoal role: “Both plant leaves and roots are utilized in removing trace levels of toxic vapors from inside tightly sealed buildings. Low levels of chemicals such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde can be removed from indoor environments by plant leaves alone.” When talking about the relationship between plants and space travelers, NASA notes that plants, "provide nourishment for the body when eaten as food, and they improve the quality of indoor air. Plants take the carbon dioxide from air to produce oxygen that humans can breathe."
The top 10 plants for removing indoor pollutants, according to the agency are: Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), golden pothos (Scindapsus aures), English ivy (Hedera helix), chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium), gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii'), bamboo palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii), azalea (Rhododendron simsii), red-edge dracaena (Dracaena marginata) and spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum). For more on these specific plants, see: Houseplants that clean the air.
The NASA researchers recommend one potted plant per 100 square feet of indoor space.
4. They boost healing
Bringing flowers or a plant while visiting a hospital patient may be verging on cliché, but so effective are plants in helping surgery patients recover that one study recommends them as a “noninvasive, inexpensive, and effective complementary medicine for surgical patients.” Plants as medicine! The study, conducted at Kansas State University, found that viewing plants during recovery from surgery led to a significant improvement in physiologic responses as evidenced by lower systolic blood pressure, and lower ratings of pain, anxiety, and fatigue as compared to patients without plants in their rooms.
Another technique to decrease recovery time, as noted by Texas A&M University, is horticulture therapy in which patients are tasked with taking care of plants. The patients who physically interact with plants experience a significantly reduced recovery time after medical procedures.
5. They help you work better
What? How? A number of studies with both students and workers reveals that studying or working in the presence of plants can have a pretty dramatic effect. As with simply being in nature, being around plants improves concentration, memory and productivity. Being “under the influence of plants” can increase memory retention up to 20 percent, according to a University of Michigan study.
Meanwhile, two Norwegian studies found that worker productivity is greatly enhanced by the presence of plants in the office. “Keeping ornamental plants in the home and in the workplace increases memory retention and concentration,” notes Texas A&M. “Work performed under the natural influence of ornamental plants is normally of higher quality and completed with a much higher accuracy rate than work done in environments devoid of nature.”
www.treehugger.com/health/5-health-benefits-houseplants.html
www.auroravenus.com/2024/01/productivity.html
Hairbase: Bae - Jadiience (Dreamday event 6th - 25th Jan)
Top & Pants: Serena (in Nude) - Plush Studios (Cakeday event 13th - 29th Jan)
Rings: Kawaii Rings - Yummy Accessories
8 mm thickness, 80 pages, 80 g weight. As alternative for the Moleskine or the hipsterPDA.
See also :
“Taking a break. Been working solid for the last few hours, as opposed to working liquid, which is more drinkable. Can I pour you a glass of productivity?”
≈ Jarod Kintz ≈
Aan het leren om met licht te werken in de studio...
It was quite the day of productivity in the workshop.
1. I finished and installed my drill press plate (pictured)
2. I finished and used the table lamp (pictured)
3. Routed the prototype for my journal on the different wood (pictured),
4. Designed and cut all the wood pieces for one of my next projects in the studio (not pictured).
Whew... I need a nap now!
Theme: Crafty Creations
Year Fourteen Of My 365 Project
Ming era Temple of Heaven sacrificial altar dedicated to the worship of Heaven for harvest productivity, leading to the beautiful and unique circular tower in splendid traditional architecture, art and decoration, a UNESCO world heritage and landmark of Beijing, China.
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©2021 German Vogel - All rights reserved - No usage allowed in any form without the written consent of the photographer.
NEW JERSEY 2017 BALD EAGLE PROJECT REPORT
ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE YEAR FOR NJ’S EAGLES
by Larissa Smith, CWF Wildlife Biologist
The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ in partnership with the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species Program has released the 2017 NJ Bald Eagle Project Report. In 2017, 178 eagle nests were monitored during the nesting season. Of these nests 153 were active (with eggs) and 25 were territorial or housekeeping pairs. One hundred and ninety young were fledged.
In 2017 the number of active nests was three more than in 2016, but the number young fledged decreased by 27 from a record high of 216 fledged in 2016. The productivity rate this season of 1.25 young/active nest is still above the required range of 0.0 to 1.1 for population maintenance. Productivity could be lower this season for many reasons including weather, predation and disturbance to the nesting area. In 2017 nest monitors reported several instances of “intruder” eagles at nests which did disrupt the nesting attempts of several pairs. One of these “eagle dramas” unfolded at the Duke Farms eagle cam watched by millions of people. An intruder female attempted to replace the current female. This harassment interrupted the pairs bonding and copulation and no eggs were laid.
This year’s report includes a section on Resightings of banded eagles. Resightings of NJ (green) banded eagles have increased over the years, as well as eagles seen in NJ that were banded in other states. These resightings are important, as they help us to understand eagle movements during the years between fledging and settling into a territory, as well as adult birds at a nest site.
For more info: www.conservewildlifenj.org/blog/2017/12/06/new-jersey-201...
New Jersey Bald Eagle Project Report | 2017 may be downloaded here: www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/pdf/eglrpt17.pdf
Two days ago, I took a walk on a trail in a provincial park that I can reach by foot from my house. To get there, I walked by a huge field of soybeans. I could see that farmers were harvesting the north part of this field, which was over a mile away. When I came back in about 1.5 hours, the huge New Holland Combine had harvested most of the field I had walked by. Amazing productivity! Fun to watch.
Sunrise over a small solar farm in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, UK. Covered in snow and probably about to have a low productivity day.
...viewed from my window...
(The team leader was the plugged fellow on my former post.
There must be a better method to get those pieces faster to the top...)
This is an exaggeration of me working, but needless to say I try to get in more than just reading at work...
Babydoll dress set
i thought i would try to keep busy while on holidays at my family's home... i found i do not like my mums sewing machine at all >.<
so most were hand sewn
Leisure and Productivity - A Day in a Life
It's time for a change: workplaces need to weave leisure into the fabric of the workday.
Incorporating leisure isn't a luxury; it's a strategy to rejuvenate our minds and spark creativity.
Say goodbye to stress and hello to peak performance through leisure activities at work.
Leisure shouldn't wait for the day's end; it's a vital piece of the productivity puzzle.
When work includes leisure, satisfaction soars and engagement deepens.
We are more than our output; we deserve a work-life balance celebrating our humanity.
Imagine a workplace where leisure and labour dance in harmony, enhancing our intellect."
Shift the focus: It's not just about being productive but about feeling fulfilled.
An enriched workday awaits when we blend leisure seamlessly into our tasks.
Let's champion a workplace revolution where leisure and work unite for a richer life experience.
-
Blogger
www.jjfbbennett.com/2023/11/leisure-and-productivity-day-...
JJFBbennett Art Directory
Contemporary Positional Video Art and Socio-Fictional Writings
It is about being creative and innovative with knowledge
Babydoll dress set
i thought i would try to keep busy while on holidays at my family's home... i found i do not like my mums sewing machine at all >.<
so most were hand sewn
If you equate artistic productivity with work, then I had a late shift last night.
The workplace is in the fresh air, a stunningly beautiful work environment, and an extremely relaxed atmosphere. It's quite bearable.
Only the working hours are a bit difficult, as they're hard to predict. Add to that the constantly changing workplaces, some of which are quite far away.
Despite this, or perhaps because of it, I'm enjoying it very much, as you can clearly see here.
Oh, and I'm here in Bohemian Switzerland, on the Tisa Rocks. More information will follow with the upcoming photos.
Wenn man mal die künstlerische Produktivität mit Arbeit gleich setzt, dann hatte ich gestern Abend eine Spätschicht.
Der Arbeitsplatz an der frischen Luft, umwerfend schöne Arbeitsumgebung und extrem entspannt Atmosphäre. So lässt es sich ganz gut aushalten.
Nur die Arbeitszeiten sind etwas schwierig, da man sie nur schwer vorhersehen kann. Dazu kommen noch ständig wechselnde Arbeitsstätten, die teilweise ganz schön weit weg sind.
Trotzdem, oder vielleicht garde deswegen, gieniesse ich das sehr, wie man hier sehr gut sehen kann.
Achso, ich befinde mich hier in der Böhmischen Schweiz auf den Tyssaer Wänden. Weitere Informationen folgen mit den kommenden Fotos.
Boost your productivity with the Ingenix A.R.M. pod!
- Grab and manipulate large rocks with the heavy duty mechanical claw.
- Extract minerals quickly with the dual high pressure drills.
- Light your way through the darkest places with the ten high intensity headlights.
- Work with precision in any direction with the exclusive 3D-Ring™ technology.
Finally built it! I designed that pod and rotating frame last year, for Eurobrick's stand at Brickworld Chicago 2015. I also used that frame to design a fighter and a racing ship.
LDD file available on my website.
Mississippi River, one of the longest rivers in North America, is featured in this multi-temporal radar image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission.
The Mississippi River is one of the world’s major river systems in size, habitat diversity and biological productivity. The river flows 3766 km from its source at Lake Itasca through the centre of the continental United States to the Gulf of Mexico.
The area pictured here shows where the Mississippi straddles the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. The image combines three radar acquisitions from the Sentinel-1 mission taken 12 days apart to show changes in crop and land conditions over time. Bright colours in the image come from changes on the ground that have occurred between acquisitions.
Water bodies, including the Mississippi River, visible in the far right, and Catahoula Lake, in the far left, appear black as water surfaces reflect the radar signal away from the satellite. If we take a closer look, we can see cargo ships travelling along the Mississippi. Ships from 7 April 2022 appear in red, those from 19 April appear in green, and those from 1 May appear in blue.
White areas in the image indicate the various types of vegetation that surrounds the river, including the Kisatchie National Forest – the only national forest in Louisiana. The Mississippi is a classic example of a meandering alluvial river with its loops and curls along its path leaving behind meander scars, cutoffs and free-standing ‘oxbow lakes’.
The Mississippi River Basin is home to a variety of agricultural activity. Nutrient-rich soil from sediment deposits through the floodplain supports cropland close to the river and its tributaries. Rectangular fields in the image are cultivated land. The farming of cotton and soybean make up a significant portion of the areas economic production.
Sentinel-1A was the first satellite to be launched for Copernicus – the Earth observation component of the European Union’s space programme. Looking ahead, the upcoming Sentinel-1C satellite scheduled to lift off on ESA’s Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana in the first half of 2023, will continue the critical task of delivering key radar imagery for a wide range of services, applications and science.
The satellite is now at Thales Alenia Space’s Cannes plant on the French Riviera after it successfully completed all integration tests this summer in Rome, Italy. It will now undergo a final series of tests in Cannes, including radiofrequency performance checks in the facility’s anechoic chamber.
This image is also featured on the Earth from Space video programme.
Credits: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2022), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Babydoll dress set
i thought i would try to keep busy while on holidays at my family's home... i found i do not like my mums sewing machine at all >.<
so most were hand sewn
Babydoll dress set
i thought i would try to keep busy while on holidays at my family's home... i found i do not like my mums sewing machine at all >.<
so most were hand sewn
Dungeness is a headland on the coast of Kent, England, formed largely of a shingle beach in the form of a cuspate foreland. It shelters a large area of low-lying land, Romney Marsh. Dungeness is also the name of the power station and a few other nearby buildings near the beach, and of an important ecological site at the same location.
Dungeness is one of the largest expanses of shingle in the world[citation needed]. And is classified as Britain's only desert by the met office. It is of international conservation importance for its geomorphology, plant and invertebrate communities and birdlife. This is recognised and protected mostly through its conservation designations as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Special Protection Area (SPA), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) of Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay.
There is a remarkable variety of wildlife living at Dungeness, with over 600 different types of plant: a third of all those found in Britain. It is one of the best places in Britain to find insects such as moths, bees and beetles, and spiders; many of these are very rare, some found nowhere else in Britain.
The short-haired bumblebee, Bombus subterraneus, was last found in the UK in 1988, but has survived in New Zealand after being shipped there more than 100 years ago. After unsuccessful attempts to reintroduce the New Zealand bees at Dungeness in 2009-2010, the RSPB teamed up with the Swedish government in a second attempt and introduced 51 of them in 2012 and 49 in 2013 to the Dungeness Reserve. This will be continued each year, with RSPB staff conducting analysis of breeding to ensure a successful integration.[1]
The flooded gravel pits on Denge Beach, both brackish and fresh water, provide an important refuge for many migratory and coastal bird species. The RSPB has a bird sanctuary there and every year thousands of bird watchers descend on the peninsula to catch a glimpse of a rare bird from the bird observatory.
One of the most remarkable features of the site is an area known as 'the patch' or, by anglers, as 'the boil'. The waste hot water and sewage from the Dungeness nuclear power stations are pumped into the sea through two outfall pipes, enriching the biological productivity of the sea bed and attracting seabirds from miles around.
Beach fishing is popular at Dungeness, with the area being a nationally recognised cod fishing venue in the winter.
A Bone Chilling several minutes on the Beach at Dungeness, as the "Beast from the East", starts to get going.
Dungeness is a headland on the coast of Kent, England, formed largely of a shingle beach in the form of a cuspate foreland. It shelters a large area of low-lying land, Romney Marsh. Dungeness is also the name of the power station and a few other nearby buildings near the beach, and of an important ecological site at the same location.
Dungeness is one of the largest expanses of shingle in the world. It is of international conservation importance for its geomorphology, plant and invertebrate communities and birdlife. This is recognised and protected mostly through its conservation designations as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Special Protection Area (SPA), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) of Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay.
There is a remarkable variety of wildlife living at Dungeness, with over 600 different types of plant: a third of all those found in Britain. It is one of the best places in Britain to find insects such as moths, bees and beetles, and spiders; many of these are very rare, some found nowhere else in Britain.
The short-haired bumblebee, Bombus subterraneus, was last found in the UK in 1988, but has survived in New Zealand after being shipped there more than 100 years ago. It is to be reintroduced at Dungeness. It is planned that the first bees will be introduced in the spring of 2010.
The flooded gravel pits on Denge Beach, both brackish and fresh water, provide an important refuge for many migratory and coastal bird species. The RSPB has a bird sanctuary there and every year thousands of bird watchers descend on the peninsula to catch a glimpse of a rare bird from the bird observatory.
One of the most remarkable features of the site is an area known as 'the patch' or, by anglers, as 'the boil'. The waste hot water and sewage from the Dungeness nuclear power stations are pumped into the sea through two outfall pipes, enriching the biological productivity of the sea bed and attracting seabirds from miles around.
Beach fishing is popular at Dungeness, with the area being a nationally recognised cod fishing venue in the winter.
The name Dungeness derives from Old Norse nes: "headland", with the first part probably connected with the nearby Denge Marsh. Popular etymology ascribes a French origin to the toponym, giving an interpretation as "dangerous nose".
Still some corrections for improvement. Current version is 2.6. I think update of Japanese version is almost finish now.
Dungeness is a headland on the coast of Kent, England, formed largely of a shingle beach in the form of a cuspate foreland. It shelters a large area of low-lying land, Romney Marsh. Dungeness is also the name of the power station and a few other nearby buildings near the beach, and of an important ecological site at the same location.
Dungeness is one of the largest expanses of shingle in the world. It is of international conservation importance for its geomorphology, plant and invertebrate communities and birdlife. This is recognised and protected mostly through its conservation designations as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Special Protection Area (SPA), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) of Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay.
There is a remarkable variety of wildlife living at Dungeness, with over 600 different types of plant: a third of all those found in Britain. It is one of the best places in Britain to find insects such as moths, bees and beetles, and spiders; many of these are very rare, some found nowhere else in Britain.
The short-haired bumblebee, Bombus subterraneus, was last found in the UK in 1988, but has survived in New Zealand after being shipped there more than 100 years ago. It is to be reintroduced at Dungeness. It is planned that the first bees will be introduced in the spring of 2010.
The flooded gravel pits on Denge Beach, both brackish and fresh water, provide an important refuge for many migratory and coastal bird species. The RSPB has a bird sanctuary there and every year thousands of bird watchers descend on the peninsula to catch a glimpse of a rare bird from the bird observatory.
One of the most remarkable features of the site is an area known as 'the patch' or, by anglers, as 'the boil'. The waste hot water and sewage from the Dungeness nuclear power stations are pumped into the sea through two outfall pipes, enriching the biological productivity of the sea bed and attracting seabirds from miles around.
Beach fishing is popular at Dungeness, with the area being a nationally recognised cod fishing venue in the winter.
The name Dungeness derives from Old Norse nes: "headland", with the first part probably connected with the nearby Denge Marsh. Popular etymology ascribes a French origin to the toponym, giving an interpretation as "dangerous nose".
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over the algal blooms swirling around the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Japan.
Algae blooms refer to the rapid multiplying of phytoplankton – microscopic marine plants that drift on or near the surface of the sea. Excessive algal growth, or algal blooms, can become visible to the naked eye and collectively tint ocean waters, allowing us to detect these tiny organisms from space.
Although algal blooms are a natural and essential part of life in the sea, human activity is also said to increase the number of annual blooms. Harmful algal blooms can be stimulated by environmental factors, such as light, warmer water temperatures and excessive nutrients.
In the image pictured here, captured on 14 June 2019, high concentrations of algae can be seen around 130 km off Hokkaido Island, the second largest island of Japan. This particular algal bloom measured more than 500 km across and 200 km wide, with the area pictured here showing just a small portion of the bloom, around 100 km from north to south and around 110 km from east to west.
During the spring bloom season, nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates are more abundant in the surface waters. Without direct in situ measurements, it is difficult to distinguish the type of algae that cover the ocean here. Algae is then usually carried by winds and currents closer to the coast of Japan.
It is in this part of the Pacific Ocean, near Hokkaido, where the colder Oyashio Current converges from the north with the warmer Kuroshio Current, which flows from the south. When two currents with different temperatures and densities collide, they often create eddies – swirls of water drifting along the edge of the two water masses. The phytoplankton growing atop the surface waters become concentrated along the boundaries of these eddies and trace out the motions of the water.
Phytoplankton play an important role in the food chain, but they also have an impact on the global carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide on a scale equivalent to that of terrestrial plants. Primary production is often used to describe the synthesis of organic material from carbon dioxide and water through photosynthesis. Even small variations in primary productivity can affect carbon dioxide concentrations, as well as influencing biodiversity and fisheries.
As ocean surfaces warm in response to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gases, phytoplankton productivity will need to be monitored both consistently and systematically.
Satellite data can not only be used to track the growth and spread of harmful algae blooms in order to alert and mitigate against damaging impacts for tourism and fishing industries, but have also recently proven fundamental to providing a global view of phytoplankton and their role in, and response to, climate change.
This image is also featured on the Earth from Space video programme.
Credits: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2019), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO