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Collection:
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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Collection
Collection
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Collection
Collection
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Title:
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TOPEX/El Nino
Title
TOPEX/El Nino
Title
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Creator:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech
Creator
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Creator
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Description:
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These three images depict the evolution of a warm water Kelvin wave in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during March and April 1997. Kelvin waves are often precursors to El Nino events which can disrupt global weather patterns. These data were collected by the altimeter onboard the joint US/French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite and these images show sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage where the sea surface is elevated up to about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) and 10 centimeters (4 inches) respectively. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows the large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The warm water mass can affect where rain clouds form and, consequently, alter the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these data, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA) has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions. A number of El Niño forecast activities supported by NOAA indicate the likelihood of a moderate or strong El Niño in late 1997. The forecast model operated at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) used data collected by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite.
Description
These three images depict the evolution of a warm water Kelvin wave in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during March and April 1997. Kelvin waves are often precursors to El Nino events which can disrupt global weather patterns. These data were collected by the altimeter onboard the joint US/French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite and these images show sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage where the sea surface is elevated up to about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) and 10 centimeters (4 inches) respectively. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows the large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The warm water mass can affect where rain clouds form and, consequently, alter the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these data, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA) has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions. A number of El Niño forecast activities supported by NOAA indicate the likelihood of a moderate or strong El Niño in late 1997. The forecast model operated at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) used data collected by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite.
Description
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Date:
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5/29/97
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Identifier:
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P-48681
Identifier
P-48681
Identifier
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Year:
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1997
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Contributor:
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JPL Archives
Contributor
JPL Archives
Contributor
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What:
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Altimeter
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What:
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TOPEX/Poseidon
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Where:
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Pacific Ocean
Where
Pacific Ocean
Where
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Where:
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Australia
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