"Ribbons and swirls of yellow trace out regions of high chlorophyll concentration in the Arabian Sea in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image, taken by NASA’s Aqua satellite on February 22, 2005.
Some of the high chlorophyll concentrations seen here may be related to recent floods along the coast of Pakistan. Flood water sweeps minerals from the land into the ocean, providing iron and other nutrients for phytoplankton to grow. Wind-blown dust is another source of nutrients for phytoplankton, and MODIS observed dust storms over the Arabian Sea on February 19 and February 17. These storms may have contributed to the growth of the phytoplankton."