An astronaut at the International Space Station (ISS) found a sunglint has transformed the waters of the Greek islands into a silver mirror. According to reports, the image depicts the Sun's light refracting from the Greek coast, with oceanographic effects that can only be seen from space.
According to Live Science, the photograph was captured on June 25 by an unnamed ISS Expedition 67 crew member using simply a digital camera pointed out of an ISS window. Sunglint is found in the area between the volcanic islands of Milos and Antimilos in Greece.
The Myrtoan Sea, northwest of Milos, and the Sea of Crete, southwest of Milos, are two of the so-called silver seas because of the color-changing phenomena. Both are a component of the wider Mediterranean Sea.
An astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) took this photograph of sunglint, which is characterized by specular or mirror-like reflections of the Sun on relatively smooth water surfaces as observed by an astronaut or satellite. Astronaut photograph ISS067-E-153817 was acquired on June 25, 2022, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. It is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center.
Sunglint Explained
When sunlight reflects from the water's surface at the same angle as the satellite sensor monitoring it, the result is a phenomenon known as sunglint. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reports that this phenomenon causes sunlight to bounce off the ocean and return to the satellite or astronaut in a mirror-like fashion.
According to NASA, when viewing satellite or astronaut photographs, which have brilliant patches of light, one may commonly see the phenomena. Some bodies of water may be visibly altered by these sunlight particles, which give them an odd tint that resembles a silver mirror.
Numerous sites have seen similar occurrences in the past, including the seas off Cape Cod, the Lesser Antilles, and Brazil's rivers.
Earlier reports of the water phenomena near the coasts of Crete and the Aegean Islands were made by the US satellite agency.
Along with the sunshine, other elements including wind patterns and atmospheric conditions also contribute to the phenomenon's development.
According to all evidence, sunglint has no biological impact on marine organisms or their habitats. Instead, it only emphasizes the surface characteristics of the ocean and the environment above it as seen from the perspective of the astronaut or satellite taking the picture.
The phenomenon has also been observed to have environmental ramifications that promote research opportunities. According to NASA, it facilitates oil identification on the water's surface, whether it manifests as a natural oil seep or an oil spill brought on by human activity.
About Deepwater Horizon Disaster
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated in May of that year that NASA's Aqua satellite had seen sunglint on the Gulf of Mexico oil slick following the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in April 2010.
Phys.org, citing NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said the major portion of the oil leak is hundreds of miles distant from the Loop Current, according to the NOAA update dated May 18.
On May 17, satellite photography of the leak produced visual data that, according to claims, assisted maritime officials in stopping the greatest oil spill ever generated by humans.
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