|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Microwave Limb Sounder/El Niño Watch - December, 1997
Title
Microwave Limb Sounder/El Niño Watch - December, 1997
Title
|
|
Original Caption Released 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. The measurements were taken by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument aboard NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). These data, collected in late December 1997, show higher than normal levels of water vapor (red) over the central and eastern Pacific which indicates the presence of an El Niño condition. At the same time, the western Pacific (blue) is much drier than normal. The unusually moist air above the central and eastern Pacific is a consequence of the much warmer-than-normal ocean waters which occur during El Niño. Warmer water evaporates at a higher rate and the resulting warm moist air rises and forms tall cloud towers. In the tropics, the warm water and the resulting tall cloud towers typically produce large amounts of rain. These data show significant increases in the amount of atmospheric moisture off the coast of Peru and Ecuador since measurements were made in November 1997. The maximum water temperature in the eastern tropical Pacific, as measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is still higher than normal and these high ocean temperatures are likely responsible for an increase in evaporation and the subsequent rise in humidity.
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. The measurements were taken by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument aboard NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). These data, collected in late December 1997, show higher than normal levels of water vapor (red) over the central and eastern Pacific which indicates the presence of an El Niño condition. At the same time, the western Pacific (blue) is much drier than normal. The unusually moist air above the central and eastern Pacific is a consequence of the much warmer-than-normal ocean waters which occur during El Niño. Warmer water evaporates at a higher rate and the resulting warm moist air rises and forms tall cloud towers. In the tropics, the warm water and the resulting tall cloud towers typically produce large amounts of rain. These data show significant increases in the amount of atmospheric moisture off the coast of Peru and Ecuador since measurements were made in November 1997. The maximum water temperature in the eastern tropical Pacific, as measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is still higher than normal and these high ocean temperatures are likely responsible for an increase in evaporation and the subsequent rise in humidity.
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
Addition Date:
|
|
1998-03-14
Addition_Date
1998-03-14
Addition Date
|
|
Produced By:
|
|
JPL
Produced_By
JPL
Produced By
|
|
Mission:
|
|
Microwave Limb Sounder
Mission
Microwave Limb Sounder
Mission
|
|
Spacecraft:
|
|
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
Spacecraft
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
Spacecraft
|
|
Target Name:
|
|
Earth
Target_Name
Earth
Target Name
|
|
Is a satellite of:
|
|
Sol (our sun)
Is_a_satellite_of
Sol (our sun)
Is a satellite of
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
Microwave Limb Sounder
Instrument
Microwave Limb Sounder
Instrument
|
|
Product Size:
|
|
1152 samples x 900 lines
Product_Size
1152 samples x 900 lines
Product Size
|
|
Primary Data Set:
|
|
MICROWAVE_LIMB_SOUND ER_PAGE
Primary_Data_Set
MICROWAVE_LIMB_SOUND ER_PAGE
Primary Data Set
|
|
Producer ID:
|
|
P49502
Producer_ID
P49502
Producer ID
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Microwave Limb Sounder
facet_what
Microwave Limb Sounder
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
facet_what
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
UARS
facet_what
UARS
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Peru
facet_where
Peru
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Ecuador
facet_where
Ecuador
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
December, 1997
facet_when
December, 1997
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
December 1997
facet_when
December 1997
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
November 1997
facet_when
November 1997
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
1997
facet_when_year
1997
facet_when_year
|
|
Image #:
|
|
PIA01165
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA01165
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA01165
UID
|
|
orignial url:
|
orignial_url
orignial url
|
