AUSTIN (KXAN)-- A giant floating blob of Sargassum seaweed, drifting in the Atlantic Ocean, can be detected and tracked all the way from space. It is already 5,000 miles long and an estimated 13 million lots.

This blossom of seaweed is anticipated to grow in size and, depending upon the wind and ocean currents, impact increasingly more beaches. Seaweed that cleans up on coast can trigger devastation to the ecosystem in addition to prevent tourism.

Meteorologist Sean Kelly consulted with Dr. Edward Buskey, the Director of Marine Science at the University of Texas, to read more about the cause of this increasingly big spot of seaweed. Check out the interview listed below to get more information.

Sean Kelly, KXAN News: We hear a lot of the headings of seaweed out in the Gulf taking control of a few of the beaches in Florida, can you can you tell me what you learn about it? Why is it so large in size right now?

Dr. Edward Buskey, Director of Marine Science: Well, so Sargassum is an unusual seaweed. And so you can in fact track this huge blob of seaweed heading towards Texas from satellites. Certainly, a plant like that goes at the surface area of the ocean has plenty of sunlight, since it's best at the top of the of the water column.

And so the primary source that triggers these blooms, we believe it's an increase in nutrients in seaside waters that are then ending up in the southern central Atlantic. Generally, the area where these things grow is simply above the equator.

Huge seaweed blob twice the width of the United States takes aim at Florida

Kelly: Does environment modification contribute? You believe the warming in the Gulf, the sea surface area temperatures, is that playing a significant function?

Buskey: Well, that would that would increase the frequency of typhoons as we've seen in the last decade. Therefore once again, the path that a typhoon takes, it tends to blend that water up from extremely deep in the ocean, which water has excess nutrients in it. So when plants and animals die, they sink into the ocean, most of the anywhere there's enough sunshine, those nutrients get consumed listed below that depth where there isn't enough sunshine, those nutrients tend to build up. Therefore when you mix that deep water back up to the surface area, that can fuel not only phytoplankton growth, however likewise Sargassum.