arch23

CREDIT: NASA/Rex Shutterstock. Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by NASA/REX/Shutterstock (5800441d) Satellite image shows Lake Urmia turn shades of red and orange - 23 April 2016 Lake changes colour from green to red, Iran - 2016 These amazing satellite images show a lake changing from green to blood red over the course of months this year. Iran's salty Lake Urmia has shrunk rapidly during the past few decades. As it grows smaller, the lake grows saltier. And as it grows saltier, microscopic organisms are periodically turning the water striking shades of red and orange. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite recently captured a transition in the colour of Lake Urmia between April and July 2016. On April 23, the water was green; by July 18, it was the colour of wine. The shoreline is encrusted with salt deposits and appears white. Note that the ring of salt is especially noticeable in July, when water levels were lower. While Lake Urmia has shifted from green to red and back several times in recent years, trends suggest that a red Urmia could become increasingly common. Drought and intensive water diversion for agriculture has been limiting the amount of fresh water reaching the lake.