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Collection:
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NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
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Title:
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TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Satellite shows El Niño-related Sea Surface Height, Mar, 14, 1998
Title
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Satellite shows El Niño-related Sea Surface Height, Mar, 14, 1998
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Mar. 14, 1998 and sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The image shows that the sea surface height along the central equatorial Pacific has returned to a near normal state. Oceanographers indicate this is a classic pattern, typical of a mature El Niño condition. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown in red and white, are situated to the north and south of the equator. These sea surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of how the 1997-98 El Niño's warm pool behaves because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage; in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal; in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. 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 a 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 displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using satellite imagery, buoy and ship data, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has continued to issue an advisory indicating the so-called El Niño weather conditions that have impacted much of the United States and the world are expected to remain through the spring.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Mar. 14, 1998 and sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The image shows that the sea surface height along the central equatorial Pacific has returned to a near normal state. Oceanographers indicate this is a classic pattern, typical of a mature El Niño condition. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown in red and white, are situated to the north and south of the equator. These sea surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of how the 1997-98 El Niño's warm pool behaves because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage; in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal; in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. 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 a 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 displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using satellite imagery, buoy and ship data, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has continued to issue an advisory indicating the so-called El Niño weather conditions that have impacted much of the United States and the world are expected to remain through the spring.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Addition Date:
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1998-11-04
Addition_Date
1998-11-04
Addition Date
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Produced By:
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JPL
Produced_By
JPL
Produced By
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Mission:
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TOPEX/Poseidon (Jason-1)
Mission
TOPEX/Poseidon (Jason-1)
Mission
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Spacecraft:
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TOPEX/Poseidon
Spacecraft
TOPEX/Poseidon
Spacecraft
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Target Name:
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Earth
Target_Name
Earth
Target Name
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Is a satellite of:
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Sol (our sun)
Is_a_satellite_of
Sol (our sun)
Is a satellite of
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Instrument:
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Altimeter
Instrument
Altimeter
Instrument
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Product Size:
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1912 samples x 1908 lines
Product_Size
1912 samples x 1908 lines
Product Size
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Primary Data Set:
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TOPEX/Poseidon Science and Data
Primary_Data_Set
TOPEX/Poseidon Science and Data
Primary Data Set
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Producer ID:
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P49667
Producer_ID
P49667
Producer ID
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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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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TOPEX
facet_what
TOPEX
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Jason-1
facet_what
Jason-1
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Poseidon
facet_what
Poseidon
facet_what
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facet_what:
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TOPEX/Poseidon
facet_what
TOPEX/Poseidon
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Altimeter
facet_what
Altimeter
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Australia
facet_where
Australia
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Pacific Ocean
facet_where
Pacific Ocean
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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United States of America
facet_where
United States of America
facet_where
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facet_when:
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Mar, 14, 1998
facet_when
Mar, 14, 1998
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1998
facet_when_year
1998
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PIA01449
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA01449
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA01449
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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