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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 - El Niño Moisture in the Atmosphere, February 22, 1998
Title
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niño Moisture in the Atmosphere, February 22, 1998
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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This image shows differences in atmospheric water vapor relative to a normal (average) year in the Earth's upper troposphere about 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the surface. These measurements were made by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument aboard NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). This image, obtained on February 22, 1998, shows that high levels of atmospheric water vapor (red) continue to persist above the warm water pool, commonly referred to as El Niño, in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. This image also shows high levels of atmospheric moisture above Southern California. The extent of this high moisture area along the equator has slightly decreased since late January, which corresponds to the shrinking volume of the warm water pool on the ocean's surface. During El Niño, the warmer ocean water off the coast of Peru evaporates at a higher rate, and the resulting warm moist air rises, forming tall cloud towers. In the tropics, the warm water and the resulting tall cloud towers typically produce large amounts of rain. These data show a new formation of high levels of moisture off the coast of Japan in an area that is the typical breeding ground for winter storms. Storms produced off the coast of Japan normally migrate eastward toward the western United States. During this El Niño condition, the southern tropical jet stream has shifted northward, bringing additional moisture from the tropics. When these two sources of moisture converge near California, they produce storms with higher-than-normal rainfall.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
This image shows differences in atmospheric water vapor relative to a normal (average) year in the Earth's upper troposphere about 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the surface. These measurements were made by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument aboard NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). This image, obtained on February 22, 1998, shows that high levels of atmospheric water vapor (red) continue to persist above the warm water pool, commonly referred to as El Niño, in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. This image also shows high levels of atmospheric moisture above Southern California. The extent of this high moisture area along the equator has slightly decreased since late January, which corresponds to the shrinking volume of the warm water pool on the ocean's surface. During El Niño, the warmer ocean water off the coast of Peru evaporates at a higher rate, and the resulting warm moist air rises, forming tall cloud towers. In the tropics, the warm water and the resulting tall cloud towers typically produce large amounts of rain. These data show a new formation of high levels of moisture off the coast of Japan in an area that is the typical breeding ground for winter storms. Storms produced off the coast of Japan normally migrate eastward toward the western United States. During this El Niño condition, the southern tropical jet stream has shifted northward, bringing additional moisture from the tropics. When these two sources of moisture converge near California, they produce storms with higher-than-normal rainfall.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Addition Date:
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1998-03-16
Addition_Date
1998-03-16
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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Microwave Limb Sounder
Mission
Microwave Limb Sounder
Mission
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Spacecraft:
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Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
Spacecraft
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
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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Microwave Limb Sounder
Instrument
Microwave Limb Sounder
Instrument
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Product Size:
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2550 samples x 3009 lines
Product_Size
2550 samples x 3009 lines
Product Size
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Primary Data Set:
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MICROWAVE_LIMB_SOUND ER_PAGE
Primary_Data_Set
MICROWAVE_LIMB_SOUND ER_PAGE
Primary Data Set
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Producer ID:
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P49651A
Producer_ID
P49651A
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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Microwave Limb Sounder
facet_what
Microwave Limb Sounder
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
facet_what
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
facet_what
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facet_what:
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UARS
facet_what
UARS
facet_what
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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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Peru
facet_where
Peru
facet_where
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facet_where:
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California
facet_where
California
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Japan
facet_where
Japan
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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February 22, 1998
facet_when
February 22, 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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PIA00823
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00823
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00823
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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