Rainbow Pool Spotted in Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge; What’s Causes the Swamp’s Vivid Kaleidoscope of Color?

An unusually colorful pool that appears like a rainbow was spotted in a swamp in Virginia.

Rainbow Pool in Great Dismal Swamp

The Great Dismal Swamp stretches across southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. It spans an area of around 750 square miles, Newsweek reported.

The unusual pool of water in the swamp and its vivid kaleidoscope of colors ranges from blue, green, and yellow to red. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the phenomenon is called a "rainbow pool," and it occurs under rarely specific conditions.

The sheen has nothing to do with pollution but is the product of natural oils released from decaying vegetation or from bacteria breaking down iron in the soil.

The said factors, coupled with several days of calm, undisturbed water and right angle of sunlight, resulted in a rarely-seen rainbow phenomenon in swamps and marshes.

USFWS shared a snap of the rare event on Twitter. The shot was taken at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

One netizen was thrilled to learn such a natural element of the swamp, adding that "swamps are beautiful." USFWS said swamps are amazing, but they get a bad reputation. However, they are usually home to so much biodiversity and wildlife.

According to Newsweek, the refuge was established in 1974. It has over 200 species of birds and around 100 species of butterflies and skippers. There are also turtles, white-tailed deer, bobcats, and otters. It's also the home to one of the largest populations of black bears on the East Coast.

The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is the largest remaining vast forested wetland that once covered more than one million acres of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Its goal is to restore the biological diversity of the swamp ecosystem through hydrological restoration, forest management, and fire management.

The Dismal Swamp Act of 1974 directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the area to protect and preserve the ecosystem and the diversity of animal and plant life therein. Its secondary purpose is to promote a public use program when not in conflict with the primary objective.

Rainbow-Colored Clouds in Finland

A similar scenario happened in Finland, but the colors were seen above the clouds. The sky appeared like a wide canvas painted with vivid rainbow colors.

The extremely rare atmospheric phenomenon is called polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). According to the Italian couple Rebecca Paviola and Davide Anzimanni, who were near Lake Inari and lucky to witness the sight, it was an unforgettable morning because it's so rare to see such clouds.

Seasoned storm chaser Paul Botten also saw the magnificent view in Sommarøy, Norway, over 300 miles away from Lake Inari. He told Newsweek it was very beautiful.

Check out more news and information on Sky and Environment in Science Times.