The photo above shows the massive phytoplankton bloom in the North Atlantic Ocean captured by the Suomi NPP satellite.

In recently released photos from NASA, a huge natural bloom of phytoplankton appears in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The mass of phytoplankton - microscopic organisms that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen - was . A camera on NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite was able to grab the images in September, reports UPI.

Phytoplanktonblooms provide food for a host of creatures, from small marine animals to whales. Through photosynthesis, the blooms harness the energy of the sun and turn carbon dioxide into sugars.

The bloom, however the weather conditions in the colder months makes it hard to spot them, according to NASA.

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“The image does a beautiful job of showing the close link between ocean physics and biology,” said phytoplankton ecologist Michael Behrenfeld. “The features that jump out so clearly represent the influence of ocean eddies and physical stirring on the concentration of phytoplankton pigments and, possibly, colored dissolved organic matter.”

Six weeks after capturing the image, researchers with NASA’s five year-long North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES) were . The study aims to make ship- and aircraft-based measurements that clarify ocean plankton’s annual cycles. Combined with satellite and ocean sensor data, they also hope to analyze the plankton’s relationship with atmospheric aerosols.

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