Photo: Florida's "Red Tide" Mystery Tied to Mississippi River

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These autumn 2004 satellite images map red tides—caused by algal blooms—along the west coast of Florida.

The satellite image captures how water reflects light, and that information helps to determine concentrations of chlorophyll, which, in turn, indicates where algae and other plants are.

Fluorescence levels help scientists determine if the chlorophyll measurement is accurate or falsely high due to sediment and other organic matter in the shallowest waters.

Photograph courtesy NASA

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