Media Information
 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Image eXchange Collection
Title:
Microwave Limb Sounder/El Nino Watch - Water Vapor Measurement, October, 1997
Description:
This image shows atmospheric water vapor in Earth's upper troposphere, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the surface, as measured by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument flying aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. These data collected in early October 1997 indicate the presence of El Nino by showing a shift of humidity from west to east (blue and red areas) along the equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Nino is the term used when the warmest equatorial Pacific Ocean water is displaced toward the east. The areas of high atmospheric moisture correspond to areas of very warm ocean water. Warmer water evaporates at a higher rate and the resulting warm moist air then rises, forming tall cloud towers. In the tropics, the warm water and the resulting tall cloud towers typically produce large amounts of rain. The MLS instrument, developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, measures humidity at the top of these clouds, which are very moist. This rain is now occurring in the eastern Pacific Ocean and has left Indonesia (deep blue region) unusually dry, resulting in the current drought in that region. This image also shows moisture moving north into Mexico, an effect of several hurricanes spawned by the warm waters of El Nino.
Date:
10.27.1997
Credit:
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA-JPL) [ http://photojournal…]
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
Microwave Limb Sounder
facet_what:
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
facet_where:
Pacific Ocean
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where:
Indonesia
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_when:
October, 1997
facet_when:
October 1997
facet_when:
10-27-1997
facet_when_year:
1997
Media:
IMAGE
ID:
PIA01052
Other ID:
P49317
UID:
SPD-NIX-PIA01052
orignial url:
http://nix.ksc.nasa…

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