You might be wondering where the volcano is in today"s photo, but that"s not lava. These are salt flats in San Francisco Bay—many of these tidal marshes have been developed into evaporation ponds for the harvest of sea salt. If you happen to be in the air and flying over this part of the country, you"ll notice pools of not just bright orange but green, blue, and even magenta among the famous salt ponds. The vibrant colors are determined by brine shrimp, algae, and other microorganisms and their responses to different levels of salt. This orange results from a mid-level saline concentration and the presence of tiny brine shrimp in the water. Green indicates low levels of salt, while pink or red are signs of high salt content in an algae-rich pond.
San Francisco Bay salt flats
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Arbor Day
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Aprils full moon
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Surströmming Day
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Chapel on the rock
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Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada
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An emerald isle of the Emerald Isle
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It’s surströmming time
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Tom Turkey takes Manhattan
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Reflecting on Black History Month
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San Blas Islands, Panama
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Gemsbok in Namibian sand dunes
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Bringing together history and technology
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Christmas Eve
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The Spirit of Harlem by Louis Delsarte
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Daylight saving time
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Feeling crabby?
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National Bison Day
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A Great view from above
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Midsummer in Sweden
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White Sands National Park turns 90
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Staircase of turquoise pools
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Ancient groves in Australia
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Rosa Parks Day
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Snow buntings take flight
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Cumberland Island National Seashore
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An icy extravaganza
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March of the flowers
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Happy Father s Day
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Travels to the Oregon deep
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America s Playground by Derrick Adams