Snow near the Ukrainian station in Antarctica “Akademik Vernadsky” turned red and green, according to the National Antarctic Science Center’s Facebook page.
The cause of this anomaly was snow blooming. “This color appears as a result of the development of microscopic algae in the snow,” – said in the message. The algae that colored the snow are propagated by spores that can withstand low temperatures. Chlorophyll gives snow green color, and carotene, which is found in some algae, gives red color.
It is emphasized that snow bloom accelerates the process of climate change. Colored snow reflects sunlight worse and melts faster. Now scientists intend to find out what area of Antarctica is affected by algae in order to understand the extent of global warming.