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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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Microwave Limb Sounder/El Niño Watch - Water Vapor Measurement, October, 1997
Title
Microwave Limb Sounder/El Niño Watch - Water Vapor Measurement, October, 1997
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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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 Niño by showing a shift of humidity from west to east (blue and red areas) along the equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño 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 Niño.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
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 Niño by showing a shift of humidity from west to east (blue and red areas) along the equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño 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 Niño.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Addition Date:
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1997-10-30
Addition_Date
1997-10-30
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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1517 samples x 1645 lines
Product_Size
1517 samples x 1645 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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P49317
Producer_ID
P49317
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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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_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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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Indonesia
facet_where
Indonesia
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_when:
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October, 1997
facet_when
October, 1997
facet_when
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facet_when:
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October 1997
facet_when
October 1997
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1997
facet_when_year
1997
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PIA01052
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA01052
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA01052
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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