Huge algal bloom in Antarctica

Snow blown into the Antarctic Ocean from the frozen continent has triggered an algal bloom so large and so vividly green it can be seen from space, according to media reports.

The bloom, which was captured by Australian scientists monitoring a Nasa satellite 650km above the Earth, is about 100km north-to-south and 200km wide.

The snow contains minute quantities of iron that stimulates the growth of nutrients, reports said yesterday.

University of Tasmania glaciologist Mark Curran said the monster bloom had sparked a food chain starting with krill and plankton and going all the way up to seals and whales.

The bloom is thought to be phaeocystis algae, a single-cell photosynthetic algae sometimes called the "foam algae" that is present in all the oceans.

Curran said the bloom had lasted 20 days so far and would eventually dissipate.