A wreath-shaped bloom of bright and dark green phytoplankton spreads across the Sea of Okhotsk as spring takes hold, with snow still clinging to the surrounding land. Extensive sea ice forms each winter on this sea, thanks to cold Siberian air and freshwater input from the Amur River that lower the water's salinity. As the ice retreats, meltwater and nutrients trigger this seasonal bloom, fueling a food web that supports rich salmon fisheries, along with seals, sea lions, and seabirds. Scenes like this capture the seasonal turnover of ice into life across this remote northern sea.
This image was captured by the OCI sensor onboard the PACE satellite on May 21, 2026.
- Wikipedia - Sea of Okhotsk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Okhotsk
- Wikipedia - Amur River: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amur_River
- Wikipedia - Alaska pollock: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_pollock
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