+ Visit NASA.gov + Advanced Search   + About the Server   + Animation List   + How to Use the Server   + RSS Feeds   + Podcasts   + Opportunities Previous Animation Next Animation IKONOS and Aqua MODIS Imagery of Southern Great Barrier Reef Coral bleaching may be one of the greatest threats to the Great Barrier Reef. Coral bleaching is a stress response that often occurs when the surrounding waters become too warm for the corals. In the stressful situation, the corals expel their brownish zooxanthellae and lose their color. Zooxanthellae are unicellular yellow-brown algae that make it possible for the corals to grow and reproduce quickly enough to create reefs. Without the zooxanthellae, the coral cannot obtain sufficient nourishment. If conditions remain difficult, the corals may die. Major coral bleaching incidents on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998 and 2002 led to widespread death of corals in some areas. Researchers in the Barrier reef of Australia are using NASA's resources to help identify troubled coral.    The Great Barrier Reef is located on the eastern coast of Australia. This intricate network of coral formations has an area of about 14,300 square miles, encompassing about 13 percent of the world's total coral reef. Duration: 22.0 seconds Available formats:   2560x1920 TIFF         5 MB   320x240     PNG           109 KB   720x480 (29.97 fps) MPEG-2   18 MB   720x486 (29.97 fps) Frames   640x480 (29.97 fps) MPEG-4   12 MB   640x480 (29.97 fps) MPEG-1   6 MB   320x240 (29.97 fps) MPEG-1   2 MB   320x240 (29.97 fps) X-FLV       524 KB How to play our movies    Herron Island is in the southern Great Barrier Reef and is part of the Capricorn Group of Islands, just off of the Capricorn Coast. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 3 MB   320 x 240         PNG       44 KB    This image was taken by Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite which has a resolution of 4 meters per pixel. The image shows coral bleaching around Herron Island in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Available formats:   3001 x 3022     JPEG 3 MB   320 x 322         PNG     134 KB   160 x 80           PNG       20 KB   80 x 40             PNG         5 KB    This is a closeup of Herron Island. The narrow channel leading from the marina to the ocean was blasted and dredged decades ago, before the island became a national park. Since then the Australian government has implemented conservation measures. One of the applications of remote sensing data from Ikonos is environmental monitoring, including studies of coral reef health. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 3 MB   320 x 240         PNG     103 KB Animation Number: 3342 Completed: 2005-02-28 Animator: Lori Perkins (NASA/GSFC) (Lead) Scientist: Gene Feldman (NASA/GSFC) Platforms/Sensors/Data Sets: Aqua/MODIS   IKONOS   METEOSAT-6/Cloud Cover Data Collected: 2005-09-18, 2006-02-20 Series: Coral Bleaching Keywords: DLESE >> Physical oceanography GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Atmosphere >> Atmospheric Chemistry/Carbon and Hydrocarbon Compounds >> Chlorinated Hydrocarbons GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Human Dimensions >> Natural Hazards >> Meteorological Hazards GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Oceans >> Ocean Temperature >> Sea Surface Temperature GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Spectral/Engineering >> Visible Wavelengths >> Visible Imagery     Please give credit for this item to: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio Back to Top + Privacy Policy and Important Notices + Reproduction Guidelines NASA Official: Content Contact: Curator: