– The color is due to a microscopic algae, says marine scientist Lars-Johan Naustvoll at the Institute of Marine Research. It is the harmless calcareous alga Emiliani huxleii that has the color Hardangerfjorden turquoise. This is an annual phenomenon that even becomes visible from space. In the satellite image from NASA, you can see the beautiful natural phenomenon clearly. This year, the flowering came about a month ahead of time, according to the Institute of Marine Research. Naustvoll says it is an unusual algae year. – It is quite common for algae to bloom in the sea during the summer, but this year this happened about a month before what is normal. Warm in May This year, flowering starts already in early May. The researchers are not entirely sure why this happens from time to time, but Naustvoll says they have an opinion about it. For the calcareous algae need sun and little wind. – It was warm, sunny and windless for a while. We have also seen in the past that early summer days can give the algae a start. And you can see the nice color not only in the Hardangerfjord, but also in other fjords in Western Norway. The satellite image shows the calcareous algae bloom in the Hardangerfjord, and will be taken on 30 May. Photo: NASA Worldview data Dangerous to plunge Even though the small calcareous algae is not dangerous, it still leads to challenges. Because when blooms are like no, there is little light that penetrates into the lake. – We know that wild fish that are in the fjords pull out, because the fish need sight to find food. This makes it more difficult to get a fish dinner. More serious for us humans that it is dangerous to dive when there is perhaps only 30 centimeters of visibility into the lake. – It is not dangerous to swim in the fjords, but be careful not to dive. The turquoise sight can probably be enjoyed for a few more weeks. – This has been almost a month already, so I think the flowering is finished in two weeks, says the researcher. Beware of poisonous shells But it is not only the calcareous alga Emiliani huxleii that is out early. It is also the algal species Dinophysis acuta. And this can give you trouble. – We have microscopic single-cell algae that produce quite powerful toxins. We find this along the entire coast. Normally, Dinophysis acuta blooms in autumn, but this year it came unusually early in some places. It can give you diarrhea if you poison a mussel, he says. The common spring flower Alexandrium is also dangerous. He fixes neurotoxin PST. Naustvoll has good advice. – Follow the mussel warning to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. At present, it is not advisable to eat mussels in Western Norway.
ttn-69
So turquoise is the Hardangerfjord that you can see him from space – news Vestland
