A salty situation

You might be wondering where the volcano is in today’s photo, but that’s not lava. These are salt evaporation ponds in San Francisco Bay. If you happen to be in the air and flying over this part of the country, you’ll notice not just the bright orange but various greens and blues and even magenta pools that are part of the famous salt ponds. The vibrant colours are determined by brine shrimp, algae, and other microorganisms and their responses to different levels of salt. This orange results from about 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.
© Jeffrey Lewis/Tandem Stills + Motion