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Collection:
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NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Collection
Collection
NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Collection
Collection
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Title:
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MODIS White Sky Albedo Unwraps to False Color Albedo Flat Map
Title
MODIS White Sky Albedo Unwraps to False Color Albedo Flat Map
Title
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Instrument:
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Terra/MODIS
Instrument
Terra/MODIS
Instrument
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Description:
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Unwrapping the globe reveals increased information in Canada and Africa.
Description
Unwrapping the globe reveals increased information in Canada and Africa.
Description
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Abstract:
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The MODIS instrument, flying aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites, measures albedo. Albedo measures the proportion of incoming solar radiation reaching a surface that is reflected back to the atmosphere and to space. For an unchanging surface, albedo can vary somewhat, depending on the sky and atmospheric conditions. This image maps the white-sky albedo, which is the albedo under conditions of a uniform, dense cloud cover, in which downwelling light energy comes uniformly from all directions. The color bar indicates the albedo value ranging from 0.0 to 0.4 over the Earth's land surfaces. Areas colored red show the brightest, most reflective regions; yellows and greens are intermediate values; and blues and violets show relatively dark surfaces. White indicates no data is available. Typically, vegetated surfaces and water have low albedos, while soil and urban surfaces have somewhat higher values. Note that solar energy that is not reflected away from a surface is absorbed by that surface. Thus, albedo also provides information about the amount of energy absorbed by a surface. Since this energy serves to heat the soil and the air just above the surface, albedo is an important factor in weather and climate studies, and especially is important for modeling of weather and climate on scales of days to years.
This image was produced using data composited over a 16-day period, from April 7-22, 2002.
Abstract
The MODIS instrument, flying aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites, measures albedo. Albedo measures the proportion of incoming solar radiation reaching a surface that is reflected back to the atmosphere and to space. For an unchanging surface, albedo can vary somewhat, depending on the sky and atmospheric conditions. This image maps the white-sky albedo, which is the albedo under conditions of a uniform, dense cloud cover, in which downwelling light energy comes uniformly from all directions. The color bar indicates the albedo value ranging from 0.0 to 0.4 over the Earth's land surfaces. Areas colored red show the brightest, most reflective regions; yellows and greens are intermediate values; and blues and violets show relatively dark surfaces. White indicates no data is available. Typically, vegetated surfaces and water have low albedos, while soil and urban surfaces have somewhat higher values. Note that solar energy that is not reflected away from a surface is absorbed by that surface. Thus, albedo also provides information about the amount of energy absorbed by a surface. Since this energy serves to heat the soil and the air just above the surface, albedo is an important factor in weather and climate studies, and especially is important for modeling of weather and climate on scales of days to years.
This image was produced using data composited over a 16-day period, from April 7-22, 2002.
Abstract
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Completed:
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2002-07-01
Completed
2002-07-01
Completed
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Credit:
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*Please give credit for this visualization to*
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio
Credit
*Please give credit for this visualization to*
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Scientific Visualization Studio
Credit
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Studio:
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SVS
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Animator:
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Lori Perkins (Lead)
Animator
Lori Perkins (Lead)
Animator
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Animator:
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Greg Shirah
Animator
Greg Shirah
Animator
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Scientist:
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Crystal Schaaf (Boston University)
Scientist
Crystal Schaaf (Boston University)
Scientist
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Scientist:
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Elena Tsvetsinskaya (Boston University)
Scientist
Elena Tsvetsinskaya (Boston University)
Scientist
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Series:
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MODIS Albedo
Series
MODIS Albedo
Series
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Data Collected:
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2002/04/07 - 2002/04/22
Data_Collected
2002/04/07 - 2002/04/22
Data Collected
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Keywords:
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DLESE
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Keywords:
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SVS
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Keywords:
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Physical geography
Keywords
Physical geography
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Physical oceanography
Keywords
Physical oceanography
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Technology
Keywords
Technology
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Climatology
Keywords
Climatology
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Albedo
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Keywords:
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Forecast
Keywords
Forecast
Keywords
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note:
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Video:
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SVS2002-0016* * *
Video
SVS2002-0016* * *
Video
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facet_where:
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Canada
facet_where
Canada
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Boston
facet_where
Boston
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Aqua
facet_what
Aqua
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Terra
facet_what
Terra
facet_what
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Animation Number:
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2480
Animation_Number
2480
Animation Number
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UID:
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SPD-SCIVS-http://svs .gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a 000000/a002400/a0024 80/false.0035-IMAGE
UID
SPD-SCIVS-http://svs .gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a 000000/a002400/a0024 80/false.0035-IMAGE
UID
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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