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Oahu, Hawaii ASTER
This 60 by 50 kilometer (37 …
12/8/00
Date 12/8/00
Description This 60 by 50 kilometer (37 by 31 mile) scene from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite shows almost the entire island of Oahu, Hawaii, on June 3, 2000. Oahu is the commercial center of Hawaii, and tourism is the largest contributor to the economy. Among the many popular beaches is the renowned Waikiki Beach, backed by the famous Diamond Head, an extinct volcano. The largest community, Honolulu, is the state capital. Built in Japan for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, ASTER is one of several Earth-observing instruments on the Terra satellite, launched in December 1999. The Terra spacecraft, the flagship of a fleet of satellites dedicated to understanding our global environment, is part of NASA's Earth Sciences Enterprise, a long-term research program dedicated to understanding how human-induced and natural changes affect our world. More information about ASTER is available online at http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov . Image credit: NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team #####
Floods in Gonaives, Haiti
Title Floods in Gonaives, Haiti
Description The floods that claimed the lives of at least 1,500 Haitians and left as many missing, also filled a large lake basin outside of Gonaives. The basin, which was a dry dust bowl on August 8, 2001, was still completely covered with water on October 3, 2004, two weeks after Hurricane Jeanne's heavy rains induced the flooding. Some of the water may have been present before the floods, but the recent influx of water has pushed the lake far beyond its shores. According to the Associated Press, the lake has covered the primary road connecting Gonaives to Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, with over a meter (four feet) of water, making food delivery difficult. The road can be seen here, a blurred white line under the dark blue water. The grey area at the end of the road near the shore is Gonaives. These images were acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]). They were made by combining the infrared, near infrared, and red wavelengths (ASTER bands 4, 3, & 2). In this treatment, bare land appears pink, healthy croplands are light green, and concrete structures such as city buildings have a grey or deep purple tone. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory using data obtained courtesy of the of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ].
Floods in Gonaives, Haiti
Title Floods in Gonaives, Haiti
Description The floods that claimed the lives of at least 1,500 Haitians and left as many missing, also filled a large lake basin outside of Gonaives. The basin, which was a dry dust bowl on August 8, 2001, was still completely covered with water on October 3, 2004, two weeks after Hurricane Jeanne's heavy rains induced the flooding. Some of the water may have been present before the floods, but the recent influx of water has pushed the lake far beyond its shores. According to the Associated Press, the lake has covered the primary road connecting Gonaives to Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, with over a meter (four feet) of water, making food delivery difficult. The road can be seen here, a blurred white line under the dark blue water. The grey area at the end of the road near the shore is Gonaives. These images were acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]). They were made by combining the infrared, near infrared, and red wavelengths (ASTER bands 4, 3, & 2). In this treatment, bare land appears pink, healthy croplands are light green, and concrete structures such as city buildings have a grey or deep purple tone. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory using data obtained courtesy of the of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ].
Floods in Kansas and Missour …
Title Floods in Kansas and Missouri
Description Floods that started with heavy rain on June 26, 2007, still surrounded parts of Coffeyville, Kansas, on July 9, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) flying on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image. Coffeyville was flooded on July 1, when the swollen Verdigris River burst through a levee. Water swamped neighborhoods and businesses, including the Coffeyville Resources Refinery. Though the refinery had been shut down in anticipation of the flooding, it leaked more than 42,000 gallons of crude oil into the Verdigris River, reported the Environment News Service. [ http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2007/2007-07-03-01.asp ] The Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/coffeyville/index.html ] was coordinating with Coffeyville Resources to clean up the spill and to ensure that oil did not contaminate drinking water downstream. In these false-color images, the city of Coffeeville is silver and white. Vegetation is red, bare earth is pale gray, and water is dark blue. The Coffeyville Resources Refinery is the concentrated mass of silver, accented with large, white circular storage tanks, northeast of the city. In the top image, the refinery is surrounded by a pool of blue flood water. The lower image, taken on May 19, 2007, shows the area in normal conditions. Downstream from the refinery (to the south) is a grid of streets surrounded by plant-covered land. A few clusters of buildings line the larger streets, but few other large buildings are evident in the area, indicating that this is probably a residential neighborhood. Residual oil-tainted water creates traces of dark blue in the eastern half of the neighborhood. Smudges of blue west of the refinery indicate that the river flooded this part of the city as well. Beyond these areas, the flooded river seemed to remain confined behind levees on its flood plain. The high levees resemble dark red walls hemming in defined geometric shapes, which are filled with water in the top image, but are mud-gray in the lower image. Additional flooding along the Verdigris River is shown in the large image. A broader view [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14353 ] of floods in southeastern Kansas is available in the Natural Hazards section of the Earth Observatory. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of Coffeyville [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/kansas_ast_2007187.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Floods in Kansas and Missour …
Title Floods in Kansas and Missouri
Description Floods that started with heavy rain on June 26, 2007, still surrounded parts of Coffeyville, Kansas, on July 9, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) flying on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image. Coffeyville was flooded on July 1, when the swollen Verdigris River burst through a levee. Water swamped neighborhoods and businesses, including the Coffeyville Resources Refinery. Though the refinery had been shut down in anticipation of the flooding, it leaked more than 42,000 gallons of crude oil into the Verdigris River, reported the Environment News Service. [ http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2007/2007-07-03-01.asp ] The Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/region7/cleanup/coffeyville/index.html ] was coordinating with Coffeyville Resources to clean up the spill and to ensure that oil did not contaminate drinking water downstream. In these false-color images, the city of Coffeeville is silver and white. Vegetation is red, bare earth is pale gray, and water is dark blue. The Coffeyville Resources Refinery is the concentrated mass of silver, accented with large, white circular storage tanks, northeast of the city. In the top image, the refinery is surrounded by a pool of blue flood water. The lower image, taken on May 19, 2007, shows the area in normal conditions. Downstream from the refinery (to the south) is a grid of streets surrounded by plant-covered land. A few clusters of buildings line the larger streets, but few other large buildings are evident in the area, indicating that this is probably a residential neighborhood. Residual oil-tainted water creates traces of dark blue in the eastern half of the neighborhood. Smudges of blue west of the refinery indicate that the river flooded this part of the city as well. Beyond these areas, the flooded river seemed to remain confined behind levees on its flood plain. The high levees resemble dark red walls hemming in defined geometric shapes, which are filled with water in the top image, but are mud-gray in the lower image. Additional flooding along the Verdigris River is shown in the large image. A broader view [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14353 ] of floods in southeastern Kansas is available in the Natural Hazards section of the Earth Observatory. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of Coffeyville [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/kansas_ast_2007187.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Angora Fire
Title Angora Fire
Description On the weekend of June 23, 2007, a wildfire broke out south of Lake Tahoe, which stretches across the California-Nevada border. By June 28, the Angora Fire [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14323 ] had burned more than 200 homes and forced some 2,000 residents to evacuate, according to The Seattle Times and the Central Valley Business Times. On June 27, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this image of the burn scar left by the Angora fire. The burn scar is dark gray, or charcoal. Water bodies, including the southern tip of Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake, are pale silvery blue, the silver color a result of sunlight reflecting off the surface of the water. Vegetation ranges in color from dark to bright green. Streets are light gray, and the customary pattern of meandering residential streets and cul-de-sacs appears throughout the image, including the area that burned. The burn scar shows where the fire obliterated some of the residential areas just east of Fallen Leaf Lake. According to news reports, the U.S. Forest Service had expressed optimism about containing the fire within a week of the outbreak, but a few days after the fire started, it jumped a defense, forcing the evacuation of hundreds more residents. Strong winds that had been forecast for June 27, however, did not materialize, allowing firefighters to regain ground in controlling the blaze. On June 27, authorities hoped that the fire would be completely contained by July 3. According to estimates provided in the daily report from the National Interagency Fire Center, [ http://www.nifc.gov/information.html ] the fire had burned 3,100 acres (about 12.5 square kilometers) and was about 55 percent contained as of June 28. Some mandatory evacuations remained in effect. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the Angora fire [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/tahoe_ast_2007178.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Ash Plume from Karymsky
Title Ash Plume from Karymsky
Description The Karymsky Volcano in far northeastern Russia had been erupting several times a day for about a week prior to emitting this ash plume on June 19, 2006. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this false-color image. In this picture, red indicates vegetation, which is lush around the volcano but very sparse on its slopes. The water of Karymskoye Lake appears in blue. The volcano's barren sides are dark gray, and the volcanic plume and nearby haze appear in white or gray. Karymsky Volcano is the most active volcano in the eastern volcanic zone of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The volcano is composed of alternating layers of hardened lava, ash, and rocks. Historical eruptions have involved explosive eruptions of lava fragments and the release of volcanic gases. At the time of the June 19 eruption, Karymsky had an alert status of orange, indicating that a small ash eruption was expected or confirmed, but not likely to exceed an altitude greater than 7,620 meters (25,000 feet) above sea level. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using expedited ASTER data provided the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Bockfjorden
Title Bockfjorden
Description Far north within the Arctic Circle off the northern coast of Norway lies a small chain of islands known as Svalbard. These craggy islands have been scoured into shape by ice and sea. The effect of glacial activity can be seen in this image of the northern tip of the island of Spitsbergen. Here, glaciers have carved out a fjord, a U-shaped valley that has been flooded with sea water. Called Bockfjorden, the fjord is located at almost 80 degrees north, and it is still being affected by glaciers. The effect is most obvious in this image in the tan layer of silty freshwater that floats atop the denser blue water of the Arctic Ocean. The fresh water melts off land-bound glaciers and flows over the sandstone, collecting fine red-toned silt. In this image, the tan-colored fresh water flows northward up the fjord and is being pushed to the east side of the fjord by the rotation of the Earth. Glaciers here and elsewhere on Spitsbergen are cold bottom glaciers, which means that they are frozen to the ground rather than floating on top of a thin layer of melt water. The glaciers are also land glaciers since their terminus (end) lies on land, rather than floating on the water (a tidewater glacier). Land glaciers grow and retreat slowly, balancing fresh snow with the melting and draining of old ice. Their rate of growth or retreat can be affected by global warming. In most cases, including the glaciers around Bockfjorden, global warming has caused glaciers to retreat from increased melting. On the eastern side of Svalbard, however, glaciers are growing from enhanced snowfall. The reason for this pattern remains only one of many intriguing unanswered questions of Arctic science in the islands. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this false-color image on June 26, 2001. The image was created by combining near-infrared, red, and green wavelenghts (ASTER bands 3, 2, & 1 respectively). NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Brins Fire Near Sedona, AZ
Title Brins Fire Near Sedona, AZ
Description Northeast of Sedona, Arizona, the Brins Fire continued to threaten parts of Oak Creek Canyon on June 23, 2006. This image from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite shows the Brins Fire and the town of Sedona. The image doesn't appear exactly like a digital photo because it uses ASTER's observations of shortwave and near-infrared light to make the burned area stand out from the unburned vegetation. Vegetation appears red, the burn scar appears charcoal, and bare ground or thinly vegetated ground appears tan or yellow. Route 89, sections of which have been closed by the fire, runs in a gray ribbon through Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. The haze in the scene may be a mixture of smoke and thin clouds. According to reports from the National Interagency Fire Center [ http://www.nifc.gov/nicc ] on June 26, the Brins Fire was threatening residences, commercial structures, endangered species habitat, and the Oak Creek watershed and Scenic Highway. On that date, the agency estimated the fire was 4,222 acres and about 50 percent contained. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Floods in the Midwestern Uni …
Title Floods in the Midwestern United States
Description August 2007 was the wettest month ever recorded for many places in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, with rainfall totals ranging from 23.86 inches in Hokah, Minnesota, to 12.79 inches in Winona Dam, Minnesota, said the National Weather Service. [ http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=arx&storyid=9990&source=0 ] While the entire month was rainy, much of the rain fell on August 18-20, when several thunderstorms rolled across the region. The thunderstorms triggered disastrous flooding in several Midwest communities, including La Crosse, Wisconsin. A little over 10 inches of rain fell in La Crosse in the 24-hour period that spanned August 18 and August 19, and flash floods resulted. Combined with rains from the rest of August, this rainfall let La Crosse set a new monthly precipitation record of 17 inches. By August 27, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image, the floods had largely retreated, though visible signs of flooding remained. Compared to the lower image, acquired on September 7, 2006, the landscape to the west of the Mississippi River is pocked with pools of water. The city of La Crosse, the bright white and gray grid on the east side of the river, appears to have dried out. The city appears much as it did nearly a year earlier with no visible sign of flooding. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the 2007 image of La Crosse [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Sep2007/lacrosse_ast_2007239.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Floods in the Midwestern Uni …
Title Floods in the Midwestern United States
Description August 2007 was the wettest month ever recorded for many places in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, with rainfall totals ranging from 23.86 inches in Hokah, Minnesota, to 12.79 inches in Winona Dam, Minnesota, said the National Weather Service. [ http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=arx&storyid=9990&source=0 ] While the entire month was rainy, much of the rain fell on August 18-20, when several thunderstorms rolled across the region. The thunderstorms triggered disastrous flooding in several Midwest communities, including La Crosse, Wisconsin. A little over 10 inches of rain fell in La Crosse in the 24-hour period that spanned August 18 and August 19, and flash floods resulted. Combined with rains from the rest of August, this rainfall let La Crosse set a new monthly precipitation record of 17 inches. By August 27, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image, the floods had largely retreated, though visible signs of flooding remained. Compared to the lower image, acquired on September 7, 2006, the landscape to the west of the Mississippi River is pocked with pools of water. The city of La Crosse, the bright white and gray grid on the east side of the river, appears to have dried out. The city appears much as it did nearly a year earlier with no visible sign of flooding. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the 2007 image of La Crosse [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Sep2007/lacrosse_ast_2007239.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Central Pyrenees
Title Central Pyrenees
Description The Alps may be more famous, but the Pyrenees have been around much longer—tens of millions of years longer, in fact. These mountains formed between 100 and 150 million years ago when the landmass that Spain occupies pushed into the one that France occupies. The mountains have served as a natural barrier between the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and the rest of Europe ever since. Stretching east to west across 430 square kilometers (267 miles), the Pyrenees fall mostly within Spain's borders, but also pass into the independent state of Andorra. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA 's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this image of part of the Central Pyrenees—the highest part of the range—on August 1, 2000. In this false-color image, clouds appear white, snow appears pale blue, vegetation appears green, and bare ground appears as either pink or dark, bluish-purple. Water on the ground appears dark blue (or nearly black). In this shot, the vegetated areas are mostly to the north, and the peaks to the south are mostly bare rock. In the large image, patches of dark purple that are visible along rivers and in valley floors are probably developed areas. As mountain peaks rise higher, the land they support rises above the treeline (the topmost elevation where trees can grow). At even higher altitudes, hardly any plants can survive at all, so the highest mountain peaks show just snow or bare rock. This mountain chain owes its ruggedness to granite, a volcanic rock that erodes slowly. The mountains also contain other rocks: gneiss and limestone. Glaciers didn't act on the Pyrenees as extensively as they did on the Alps, so these mountains don't sport big lakes left behind by glaciers. They do have water, however, including many small lakes and waterfalls. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using ASTER data made available by NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Chilean Lake Disappears
Title Chilean Lake Disappears
Description In May 2007, the Chilean Forestry Corporation discovered that a lake in the Southern Patagonia Icefield in the Chilean Andes had disappeared. Chilean glaciologists had observed the 20,000-square-meter (roughly 215,000-squre-foot) lake, which was located between the tongues of the Glaciar Témpanos and Glaciar Bernardo, in March. (Glaciar is Spanish for "glacier.") Two months later, nothing remained except a 30-meter- (100-foot-) deep crater and some stranded ice that had once floated on the water's surface. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured the top image on June 23, 2007, showing a crater that the lake had occupied. In this image, the crater lies mostly in shadow, due to the low angle of the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere's winter. Despite the shadows, contour lines around the lake show where the ground level is lower than the surroundings. East of the drained lake, water still appears near the tongue of Glaciar Bernardo. In this image, made from a combination of visible and infrared light detected by ASTER, red indicates vegetation, and patches of red peek through the snow cover. ASTER acquired the bottom image on April 4, 2007, when the lake was still in place. In this image—acquired in the Chilean autumn—both the lake and a nearby tributary appear full, shown by the blue-tinted water. Vibrant red, lush vegetation covers the landscape. Although the sudden draining of a lake is rare, it is not unheard of. One explanation that scientists proposed was an earthquake in the region that measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. Earthquakes can open up fissures in the rock, giving water an escape route. Another explanation was more prosaic: melting. Blocks of ice dam many glacial lakes, and when the ice melts, the lake can drain away. Sometimes a lake can drain in a rapid deluge, known as a glacial lake outburst flood. After flying over the region in late June 2007, scientists from Centro de Estudios Cientificos (CECS) and the Chilean Navy concluded that the likely culprit for the lake's disappearance was such a flood. Dr. Andrés Rivera, a glaciologist from CECS, described the flow. "The lake's water flowed to the north along the western margin of Glaciar Bernardo and into a big hole, [ http://www.imaginaccion.cl/cecs.html ] where the water went down into a glacier tunnel in the direction to Bernardo Fjord," he said. Bernardo Fjord empties into the Pacific Ocean. You can also download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the region around the "missing" lake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/lagotempanos_ast_2007174.kmz ], including both April 4 and June 23, 2007, images, suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Chilean Lake Disappears
Title Chilean Lake Disappears
Description In May 2007, the Chilean Forestry Corporation discovered that a lake in the Southern Patagonia Icefield in the Chilean Andes had disappeared. Chilean glaciologists had observed the 20,000-square-meter (roughly 215,000-squre-foot) lake, which was located between the tongues of the Glaciar Témpanos and Glaciar Bernardo, in March. (Glaciar is Spanish for "glacier.") Two months later, nothing remained except a 30-meter- (100-foot-) deep crater and some stranded ice that had once floated on the water's surface. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured the top image on June 23, 2007, showing a crater that the lake had occupied. In this image, the crater lies mostly in shadow, due to the low angle of the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere's winter. Despite the shadows, contour lines around the lake show where the ground level is lower than the surroundings. East of the drained lake, water still appears near the tongue of Glaciar Bernardo. In this image, made from a combination of visible and infrared light detected by ASTER, red indicates vegetation, and patches of red peek through the snow cover. ASTER acquired the bottom image on April 4, 2007, when the lake was still in place. In this image—acquired in the Chilean autumn—both the lake and a nearby tributary appear full, shown by the blue-tinted water. Vibrant red, lush vegetation covers the landscape. Although the sudden draining of a lake is rare, it is not unheard of. One explanation that scientists proposed was an earthquake in the region that measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. Earthquakes can open up fissures in the rock, giving water an escape route. Another explanation was more prosaic: melting. Blocks of ice dam many glacial lakes, and when the ice melts, the lake can drain away. Sometimes a lake can drain in a rapid deluge, known as a glacial lake outburst flood. After flying over the region in late June 2007, scientists from Centro de Estudios Cientificos (CECS) and the Chilean Navy concluded that the likely culprit for the lake's disappearance was such a flood. Dr. Andrés Rivera, a glaciologist from CECS, described the flow. "The lake's water flowed to the north along the western margin of Glaciar Bernardo and into a big hole, [ http://www.imaginaccion.cl/cecs.html ] where the water went down into a glacier tunnel in the direction to Bernardo Fjord," he said. Bernardo Fjord empties into the Pacific Ocean. You can also download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the region around the "missing" lake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/lagotempanos_ast_2007174.kmz ], including both April 4 and June 23, 2007, images, suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Chiliques Volcano, Chile
Title Chiliques Volcano, Chile
Description The Chiliques volcano, which hasn't erupted in at least 10,000 years, is now showing signs of life. This pair of images from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) shows the volcano in visible and nrea-infrared light (top) and thermal infrared (lower). The thermal infrared image shows hot spots in the summit crtaer caused by magma just under the surface. For more information, read: Dormant Volcanoes Shows Signs of Life [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/earth/volcano/index.html ] Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Chiliques Volcano, Chile
Title Chiliques Volcano, Chile
Description The Chiliques volcano, which hasn't erupted in at least 10,000 years, is now showing signs of life. This pair of images from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) shows the volcano in visible and nrea-infrared light (top) and thermal infrared (lower). The thermal infrared image shows hot spots in the summit crtaer caused by magma just under the surface. For more information, read: Dormant Volcanoes Shows Signs of Life [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/earth/volcano/index.html ] Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Gosses Bluff, Northern Terri …
Title Gosses Bluff, Northern Territory, Australia
Description Gosses Bluff is one of the most significant impact structures in the world. Located about 205 kilometers west of Alice Springs, in Northern Territory, Australia, the crater has been largely preserved in the dry, lightly vegetated region. Gosses Bluff was probably formed by the impact of a large comet or meteorite about 142 million years ago. Traveling at a rate of about 40 kilometers per second, the object slammed into the surface of the Earth, leaving a crater that was about 22 kilometers in diameter. The structure we now see is the result of erosion—the crater would originally have had an outer raised rim and a prominent central peak. The core of the original crater is now represented by a ring of low hills, seen in the lower left side of the image. The ghostly remnants of the outer rim are visible from space in astronaut photos [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=15317 ] as a faint circle around the crater that is seen here. This perspective view was created by draping a false-color composite image over a digital elevation model. These data were acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER) instrument aboard the Terra satellite on October 11, 2003. The composite image uses shortwave infrared, near infrared, and green wavelengths (ASTER bands 7, 3, & 1), while the digital elevation was computed from the stereo pair data channels. Surface elevations are shown true to scale without vertical exaggeration. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory. ASTER data and elevation imagery courtesy of Michael Abrams and the MITI, ERSDAC, JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Grassfire in Iceland
Title Grassfire in Iceland
Description At the end of March 2006, a grassfire broke out in western Iceland, perhaps as a result of a smoldering cigarette butt. Although this area near the coast to the northwest of the country's capital, Reykjavik, is typically very wet, a period of persistent north winds dried out the grass and made it flammable. The fire burned for several days, threatening farms and livestock and resulting in Iceland's largest fire in its recorded history. This image from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite was captured on April 6, 2006. The burned area appears as a large brownish-charcoal splotch in the center of the image. The fire started inland and burned all the way to the coast. This is a false-color image, and unburned vegetation appears red, clouds appear white, and the Atlantic Ocean (image left) appears nearly black. Several partially ice-covered lakes are scattered across the burned landscape, these lakes appear light blue. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ]
Colima Erupts
Title Colima Erupts
Description A series of explosive eruptions have thundered from the Colima Volcano, Mexico?s most active volcano. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of the Colima volcano on June 3, 2005, just hours after two spectacular eruptions rumbled from the volcano. Two days later, on June 5, Colima experienced its strongest eruption in 20 years when it sent a dark column of ash more than five kilometers into the atmosphere at a rate of roughly 30 kilometers per hour, reports the Universidad de Colima?s Observatorio Vulcanologico [ http://www.ucol.mx/volcan/ ]. Colima also erupted on May 24 and May 30, and the ash from these and the June 2 and June 3 eruptions is clearly visible in the top image. A grey river of ash and rock flows down the west side of the peak, covering the vegetation that was visible on February 6, 2003, lower image. In these false-color images, the dense vegetation that surrounds the volcano is red. A light dusting of ash blankets the trees on the southeast side of the volcano, and fresh flows stream down all sides of the volcano. Because of its resemblance to the cloud in the upper right corner of the image, the cloud that rests over the summit of the volcano is probably a regular cloud, though it could also be a plume of steam. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ]
Colima Erupts
Title Colima Erupts
Description A series of explosive eruptions have thundered from the Colima Volcano, Mexico?s most active volcano. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of the Colima volcano on June 3, 2005, just hours after two spectacular eruptions rumbled from the volcano. Two days later, on June 5, Colima experienced its strongest eruption in 20 years when it sent a dark column of ash more than five kilometers into the atmosphere at a rate of roughly 30 kilometers per hour, reports the Universidad de Colima?s Observatorio Vulcanologico [ http://www.ucol.mx/volcan/ ]. Colima also erupted on May 24 and May 30, and the ash from these and the June 2 and June 3 eruptions is clearly visible in the top image. A grey river of ash and rock flows down the west side of the peak, covering the vegetation that was visible on February 6, 2003, lower image. In these false-color images, the dense vegetation that surrounds the volcano is red. A light dusting of ash blankets the trees on the southeast side of the volcano, and fresh flows stream down all sides of the volcano. Because of its resemblance to the cloud in the upper right corner of the image, the cloud that rests over the summit of the volcano is probably a regular cloud, though it could also be a plume of steam. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ]
Diverse Terrain of Iran's Da …
Title Diverse Terrain of Iran's Dasht-e Lut
Description Roughly 480 by 320 kilometers (300 by 200 miles), Dasht-e Lut is a large salt desert in southeastern Iran. The desert fills a low basin that stretches southward from the Khorasan province into the Kerman province. Although the entire salt desert has just one name, it has more than one appearance. These natural-color images, captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite show landscapes so different, one can scarcely imagine they come from the same part of the world, let alone the same desert basin. The picture on the left shows part of the central portion of Dasht-e Lut. The strong diagonal lines result from wind erosion that has carved deep troughs and sharp ridges into the landscape. These wind-sculpted ridges are known as yardangs, and geologic research [ http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/geomorphology/GEO_8/GEO_PLATE_E-19.HTML ] has determined that Iran contains some of the world's largest yardangs. ASTER acquired this image on May 13, 2006. The picture on the right shows part of the southeastern portion of Dasht-e Lut. This area consists of sand, and it contains some of the world's tallest dunes, some reaching a height of 300 meters (1,000 feet). In this image, the white areas are saltpans—the aftermath of water that drained into the basins among the dunes and later evaporated. Golden dunes make swirling pattenrs across the image, becoming less tightly packed in the bottom of the scene. ASTER acquired this image on July 17, 2003. Dasht-e Lut's dramatic landscapes are a popular remote-sensing target. Astronauts on the International Space Station photographed [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17226 ] salt lakes from Dasht-e Lut and nearby faulted rocks on February 28, 2006. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Diverse Terrain of Iran's Da …
Title Diverse Terrain of Iran's Dasht-e Lut
Description Roughly 480 by 320 kilometers (300 by 200 miles), Dasht-e Lut is a large salt desert in southeastern Iran. The desert fills a low basin that stretches southward from the Khorasan province into the Kerman province. Although the entire salt desert has just one name, it has more than one appearance. These natural-color images, captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite show landscapes so different, one can scarcely imagine they come from the same part of the world, let alone the same desert basin. The picture on the left shows part of the central portion of Dasht-e Lut. The strong diagonal lines result from wind erosion that has carved deep troughs and sharp ridges into the landscape. These wind-sculpted ridges are known as yardangs, and geologic research [ http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/geomorphology/GEO_8/GEO_PLATE_E-19.HTML ] has determined that Iran contains some of the world's largest yardangs. ASTER acquired this image on May 13, 2006. The picture on the right shows part of the southeastern portion of Dasht-e Lut. This area consists of sand, and it contains some of the world's tallest dunes, some reaching a height of 300 meters (1,000 feet). In this image, the white areas are saltpans—the aftermath of water that drained into the basins among the dunes and later evaporated. Golden dunes make swirling pattenrs across the image, becoming less tightly packed in the bottom of the scene. ASTER acquired this image on July 17, 2003. Dasht-e Lut's dramatic landscapes are a popular remote-sensing target. Astronauts on the International Space Station photographed [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17226 ] salt lakes from Dasht-e Lut and nearby faulted rocks on February 28, 2006. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Diverse Terrain of Iran's Da …
Title Diverse Terrain of Iran's Dasht-e Lut
Description Roughly 480 by 320 kilometers (300 by 200 miles), Dasht-e Lut is a large salt desert in southeastern Iran. The desert fills a low basin that stretches southward from the Khorasan province into the Kerman province. Although the entire salt desert has just one name, it has more than one appearance. These natural-color images, captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite show landscapes so different, one can scarcely imagine they come from the same part of the world, let alone the same desert basin. The picture on the left shows part of the central portion of Dasht-e Lut. The strong diagonal lines result from wind erosion that has carved deep troughs and sharp ridges into the landscape. These wind-sculpted ridges are known as yardangs, and geologic research [ http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/geomorphology/GEO_8/GEO_PLATE_E-19.HTML ] has determined that Iran contains some of the world's largest yardangs. ASTER acquired this image on May 13, 2006. The picture on the right shows part of the southeastern portion of Dasht-e Lut. This area consists of sand, and it contains some of the world's tallest dunes, some reaching a height of 300 meters (1,000 feet). In this image, the white areas are saltpans—the aftermath of water that drained into the basins among the dunes and later evaporated. Golden dunes make swirling pattenrs across the image, becoming less tightly packed in the bottom of the scene. ASTER acquired this image on July 17, 2003. Dasht-e Lut's dramatic landscapes are a popular remote-sensing target. Astronauts on the International Space Station photographed [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17226 ] salt lakes from Dasht-e Lut and nearby faulted rocks on February 28, 2006. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Heard Island Volcano
Title Heard Island Volcano
Description Closer to Antarctica than any other major landmass, Heard Island sits in the far southern Indian Ocean two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. At the center of the remote, ice-covered island are the Big Ben massif, a large section of the Earth's crust that has been pushed up into a dense, rocky mountain by tectonic action, and an active volcano, Mawson Peak. The geologic activity that formed these features continues in the form of frequent eruptions from Mawson Peak. The volcano's current phase of activity began in May 2006, and it continued through December 2006, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image. Made with both infrared and visible light, the image shows signs of volcanic activity on December 8, 2006. A glowing dot of red on Mawson Peak is thought to be a small lava lake in the summit crater. A fresh lava flow extends 700 meters east of the crater, creating a dark blue smudge on the otherwise even field of snow, which is blue-green in this false-color image. The rocky Big Ben Massif south of Mawson Peak similarly wrinkles the surface of the snow, though some of the apparent roughness may actually be icy clouds. Previous volcanic episodes, including those in 2000-2001 and 2003-2004, have lasted about a year. Due to its isolated location, Heard Island is rarely visited, and satellite imagery provides the only regular information on eruptive activity. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]. Image interpretation provided by Matt Patrick and Anna Colvin, Michigan Technological University. [ http://www.mtu.edu/ ]
Hurricane Ivan
Title Hurricane Ivan
Description Interstate 10 is a heavily traveled roadway connecting Florida?s panhandle to the west. The road stretches from the eastern shore of northern Florida to Los Angeles, California, skirting the Gulf shore to Houston, then following the Mexican border to California. Just before leaving Florida, a traveler on I-10 would cross Escambia Bay near Pensacola. That was before Hurricane Ivan blasted through the Florida panhandle. The storm?s fierce 130-mile-per-hour winds and possibly its storm surge cut through the bridge, leaving a wide gap in Interstate 10. The gap is visible in this image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) aboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on September 21, 2004, five days after Ivan made landfall. The road forms a thin white line across the dark waters of Escambia Bay in a comparison image, taken on September 28, 2003. In the 2004 image, the line is broken. Further evidence of Ivan's fury is visible in the top image. Large tracts of darker red regions along the Escambia River, left, and the Yellow River, right, are probably flooded. This pair of false-color composite images was made by combining the near infrared, red, and green wavelengths (ASTER bands 3, 2, & 1), making vegetation appear red and water look black. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory from data provided by Michael Abrams and the MITI, ERSDAC, JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Science Team.
Hurricane Ivan
Title Hurricane Ivan
Description Interstate 10 is a heavily traveled roadway connecting Florida?s panhandle to the west. The road stretches from the eastern shore of northern Florida to Los Angeles, California, skirting the Gulf shore to Houston, then following the Mexican border to California. Just before leaving Florida, a traveler on I-10 would cross Escambia Bay near Pensacola. That was before Hurricane Ivan blasted through the Florida panhandle. The storm?s fierce 130-mile-per-hour winds and possibly its storm surge cut through the bridge, leaving a wide gap in Interstate 10. The gap is visible in this image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) aboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on September 21, 2004, five days after Ivan made landfall. The road forms a thin white line across the dark waters of Escambia Bay in a comparison image, taken on September 28, 2003. In the 2004 image, the line is broken. Further evidence of Ivan's fury is visible in the top image. Large tracts of darker red regions along the Escambia River, left, and the Yellow River, right, are probably flooded. This pair of false-color composite images was made by combining the near infrared, red, and green wavelengths (ASTER bands 3, 2, & 1), making vegetation appear red and water look black. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory from data provided by Michael Abrams and the MITI, ERSDAC, JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Science Team.
Hurricane Katrina Erodes the …
Title Hurricane Katrina Erodes the U.S. Gulf Coast
Description A fringe of barrier islands line the coast of Mississippi, protecting the mainland from the pounding waves of most ocean storms, but the islands could not shelter the mainland from Hurricane Katrina's exceptionally powerful storm surge. The battering waves ate away at the islands, permanently altering their shape. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of East and West Ship Islands and Cat Island on September 8, 2005. The lower image is made up of two difference ASTER scenes. The scene on the left was acquired on June 4, 2005, while the scene on the right was taken on April 22, 2001. A diagonal line where the ocean changes color indicates the division between the two images. The most dramatic change can be seen in East Ship Island. Compared to April 2001, most of East Ship Island has disappeared beneath the ocean by September 8, 2005. Some of the erosion may have occurred in other storms between 2001 and 2005, but Katrina is probably responsible for much of the damage. The ghost shores of the island are faintly visible under the water as a lighter shade of blue. West Ship Island, which hosts a civil war fort and a historic lighthouse, and Cat Island have also shrunk slightly. The southern tip of Cat Island is missing and the pointed tips of Ship Island have been rounded out. The section of the northwestern shore that holds the lighthouse and fort seems to be unchanged. East and West Ship Islands are no strangers to the type of erosion Katrina inflicted on them. The islands had been a single island until Hurricane Camille cleft it in two in 1969. In general, barrier islands are constantly changing, their shorelines building and eroding at remarkable speed, with dramatic change occurring routinely when powerful storms strike. In competition with nature, humans also have a large impact on barrier islands. Such islands are popular vacation spots. Construction can interfere with beach building and can degrade the vegetation that anchors dunes on the islands. Of the barrier islands along the U.S. coast, East Ship Island is one of the few that remains in its natural state, unchanged by population. To preserve the islands, Congress added them to Gulf Islands National Seashore [ http://www.nps.gov/guis/extended/MIS/MNature/Islands.htm ], the United States' largest national seashore, under the National Park Service. Cat Island forms the western boundary of the park, which consists of a string of islands along the Mississippi and Florida coasts, including East and West Ship Island. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Hurricane Katrina Erodes the …
Title Hurricane Katrina Erodes the U.S. Gulf Coast
Description A fringe of barrier islands line the coast of Mississippi, protecting the mainland from the pounding waves of most ocean storms, but the islands could not shelter the mainland from Hurricane Katrina's exceptionally powerful storm surge. The battering waves ate away at the islands, permanently altering their shape. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of East and West Ship Islands and Cat Island on September 8, 2005. The lower image is made up of two difference ASTER scenes. The scene on the left was acquired on June 4, 2005, while the scene on the right was taken on April 22, 2001. A diagonal line where the ocean changes color indicates the division between the two images. The most dramatic change can be seen in East Ship Island. Compared to April 2001, most of East Ship Island has disappeared beneath the ocean by September 8, 2005. Some of the erosion may have occurred in other storms between 2001 and 2005, but Katrina is probably responsible for much of the damage. The ghost shores of the island are faintly visible under the water as a lighter shade of blue. West Ship Island, which hosts a civil war fort and a historic lighthouse, and Cat Island have also shrunk slightly. The southern tip of Cat Island is missing and the pointed tips of Ship Island have been rounded out. The section of the northwestern shore that holds the lighthouse and fort seems to be unchanged. East and West Ship Islands are no strangers to the type of erosion Katrina inflicted on them. The islands had been a single island until Hurricane Camille cleft it in two in 1969. In general, barrier islands are constantly changing, their shorelines building and eroding at remarkable speed, with dramatic change occurring routinely when powerful storms strike. In competition with nature, humans also have a large impact on barrier islands. Such islands are popular vacation spots. Construction can interfere with beach building and can degrade the vegetation that anchors dunes on the islands. Of the barrier islands along the U.S. coast, East Ship Island is one of the few that remains in its natural state, unchanged by population. To preserve the islands, Congress added them to Gulf Islands National Seashore [ http://www.nps.gov/guis/extended/MIS/MNature/Islands.htm ], the United States' largest national seashore, under the National Park Service. Cat Island forms the western boundary of the park, which consists of a string of islands along the Mississippi and Florida coasts, including East and West Ship Island. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Hurricane Katrina Erodes the …
Title Hurricane Katrina Erodes the U.S. Gulf Coast
Description A fringe of barrier islands line the coast of Mississippi, protecting the mainland from the pounding waves of most ocean storms, but the islands could not shelter the mainland from Hurricane Katrina's exceptionally powerful storm surge. The battering waves ate away at the islands, permanently altering their shape. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of East and West Ship Islands and Cat Island on September 8, 2005. The lower image is made up of two difference ASTER scenes. The scene on the left was acquired on June 4, 2005, while the scene on the right was taken on April 22, 2001. A diagonal line where the ocean changes color indicates the division between the two images. The most dramatic change can be seen in East Ship Island. Compared to April 2001, most of East Ship Island has disappeared beneath the ocean by September 8, 2005. Some of the erosion may have occurred in other storms between 2001 and 2005, but Katrina is probably responsible for much of the damage. The ghost shores of the island are faintly visible under the water as a lighter shade of blue. West Ship Island, which hosts a civil war fort and a historic lighthouse, and Cat Island have also shrunk slightly. The southern tip of Cat Island is missing and the pointed tips of Ship Island have been rounded out. The section of the northwestern shore that holds the lighthouse and fort seems to be unchanged. East and West Ship Islands are no strangers to the type of erosion Katrina inflicted on them. The islands had been a single island until Hurricane Camille cleft it in two in 1969. In general, barrier islands are constantly changing, their shorelines building and eroding at remarkable speed, with dramatic change occurring routinely when powerful storms strike. In competition with nature, humans also have a large impact on barrier islands. Such islands are popular vacation spots. Construction can interfere with beach building and can degrade the vegetation that anchors dunes on the islands. Of the barrier islands along the U.S. coast, East Ship Island is one of the few that remains in its natural state, unchanged by population. To preserve the islands, Congress added them to Gulf Islands National Seashore [ http://www.nps.gov/guis/extended/MIS/MNature/Islands.htm ], the United States' largest national seashore, under the National Park Service. Cat Island forms the western boundary of the park, which consists of a string of islands along the Mississippi and Florida coasts, including East and West Ship Island. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Hurricane Katrina Erodes the …
Title Hurricane Katrina Erodes the U.S. Gulf Coast
Description Dauphin Island guards the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama, from the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Though not directly under the eye of the storm, the island was blasted with a powerful storm surge when Hurricane Katrina came ashore on August 29, 2005. When the storm passed, Dauphin Island had been divided in two. On September 10, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of the permanently altered island. A large inlet has been cut across the island in the same spot that a much smaller inlet existed before the storm. The western tip of the island has also been washed away, though no other changes are obvious. Miraculously, the thin causeway that connects the island to the mainland appears to be intact. In these images, vegetation is red while sand is a brilliant white. Barrier islands are constantly changing with shorelines building and eroding at remarkable speed. The islands are also routinely shaped by powerful storms, sometimes dramatically breaking apart as Dauphin Island broke under Katrina's wrath. Barrier islands often absorb the brunt of a hurricane's storm surge, offering some protection to the mainland shore. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Hurricane Katrina Erodes the …
Title Hurricane Katrina Erodes the U.S. Gulf Coast
Description Dauphin Island guards the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama, from the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Though not directly under the eye of the storm, the island was blasted with a powerful storm surge when Hurricane Katrina came ashore on August 29, 2005. When the storm passed, Dauphin Island had been divided in two. On September 10, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of the permanently altered island. A large inlet has been cut across the island in the same spot that a much smaller inlet existed before the storm. The western tip of the island has also been washed away, though no other changes are obvious. Miraculously, the thin causeway that connects the island to the mainland appears to be intact. In these images, vegetation is red while sand is a brilliant white. Barrier islands are constantly changing with shorelines building and eroding at remarkable speed. The islands are also routinely shaped by powerful storms, sometimes dramatically breaking apart as Dauphin Island broke under Katrina's wrath. Barrier islands often absorb the brunt of a hurricane's storm surge, offering some protection to the mainland shore. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Hurricane Rita Floods U.S. G …
Title Hurricane Rita Floods U.S. Gulf Coast
Description The Neches River flows 670 kilometers (416 miles) through Texas before pouring into Sabine Lake and then the Gulf of Mexico. In its final few kilometers, the river passes through Beaumont, Texas, one of the largest oil refining regions in East Texas. The river is an important conduit from the oil refineries to the Gulf of Mexico and the world. Beaumont and the Neches River were also almost directly in Hurricane Rita's path when it came ashore on September 24, 2005. There are some obvious signs of damage in the top image, collected by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on September 27, 2005. Several permanent structures had been built in the bulge in the river shown here. The structures, probably related to the region's oil industry, were tossed in Rita's strong winds, heavy rains, and battering waves. Their positions have shifted compared to their locations on April 18, 2001, lower image. Some of the structures are clearly broken, with sections missing. Along the shore, dark flood water surrounds a series of circular buildings. These ASTER images are shown in false color. Vegetation is red, and water is dark blue. The large images extend from Beaumont in the north to the Gulf of Mexico. Additional flooding is evident near the Gulf in the large images. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Hurricane Rita Floods U.S. G …
Title Hurricane Rita Floods U.S. Gulf Coast
Description The Neches River flows 670 kilometers (416 miles) through Texas before pouring into Sabine Lake and then the Gulf of Mexico. In its final few kilometers, the river passes through Beaumont, Texas, one of the largest oil refining regions in East Texas. The river is an important conduit from the oil refineries to the Gulf of Mexico and the world. Beaumont and the Neches River were also almost directly in Hurricane Rita's path when it came ashore on September 24, 2005. There are some obvious signs of damage in the top image, collected by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on September 27, 2005. Several permanent structures had been built in the bulge in the river shown here. The structures, probably related to the region's oil industry, were tossed in Rita's strong winds, heavy rains, and battering waves. Their positions have shifted compared to their locations on April 18, 2001, lower image. Some of the structures are clearly broken, with sections missing. Along the shore, dark flood water surrounds a series of circular buildings. These ASTER images are shown in false color. Vegetation is red, and water is dark blue. The large images extend from Beaumont in the north to the Gulf of Mexico. Additional flooding is evident near the Gulf in the large images. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Earthquake Raises Reefs in t …
Title Earthquake Raises Reefs in the Solomon Islands
Description When people talk about change happening on a geologic time scale, most of the time, they mean that the change happens over the course of millions of years: the Colorado River gradually cuts through the soft rock of the Colorado Plateau until it has made a 4,000-foot-deep chasm, the Grand Canyon, continents drift centimeters at a time, slowly changing the shape and position of landmasses on the Earth. Most of the time, change is slow, but sometimes, geologic change happens all at once. This was the case on Ranongga Island in the Solomon Islands. In the early morning hours of April 2, 2007, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake shook the Solomon Islands, its epicenter southwest of Ranongga Island. The huge quake pushed much of the island up, raising the coral reefs that ringed the island above the water. In the course of a few minutes, Ranongga Island acquired several meters of new beach. The newly exposed reef forms a gray rim along the eastern shore of the island in the left image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on April 12, 2007. In the right image, taken on March 31, 2006, the shallowly submerged reefs color the water a lighter shade of blue. The uplift may be more dramatic than the images show. When ASTER took the 2007 image, the tide was 29.4 centimeters higher than it was when the 2006 image was taken, and yet the uplift is still visible. The lush vegetation that covers the tropical island is bright red in this image, which is made from both visible and infrared light. Out of its aquatic environment, the reef died, becoming the foundation of new land. Such evolution is common in earthquake zones in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the December 26, 2004, earthquake that generated the massive Indian Ocean tsunami, Simeulue Island was lifted as much as 150 centimeters (4.9 feet), exposing the reef that surrounded it. A similar set of exposed fossilized reefs on the shores of Papua New Guinea, near the Solomon Islands, provided proof that wobbles in the Earth's orbit trigger ice ages. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]Thanks to Aron Meltzner, California Institute of Technology, for help with image interpretation.
Earthquake Raises Reefs in t …
Title Earthquake Raises Reefs in the Solomon Islands
Description When people talk about change happening on a geologic time scale, most of the time, they mean that the change happens over the course of millions of years: the Colorado River gradually cuts through the soft rock of the Colorado Plateau until it has made a 4,000-foot-deep chasm, the Grand Canyon, continents drift centimeters at a time, slowly changing the shape and position of landmasses on the Earth. Most of the time, change is slow, but sometimes, geologic change happens all at once. This was the case on Ranongga Island in the Solomon Islands. In the early morning hours of April 2, 2007, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake shook the Solomon Islands, its epicenter southwest of Ranongga Island. The huge quake pushed much of the island up, raising the coral reefs that ringed the island above the water. In the course of a few minutes, Ranongga Island acquired several meters of new beach. The newly exposed reef forms a gray rim along the eastern shore of the island in the left image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on April 12, 2007. In the right image, taken on March 31, 2006, the shallowly submerged reefs color the water a lighter shade of blue. The uplift may be more dramatic than the images show. When ASTER took the 2007 image, the tide was 29.4 centimeters higher than it was when the 2006 image was taken, and yet the uplift is still visible. The lush vegetation that covers the tropical island is bright red in this image, which is made from both visible and infrared light. Out of its aquatic environment, the reef died, becoming the foundation of new land. Such evolution is common in earthquake zones in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the December 26, 2004, earthquake that generated the massive Indian Ocean tsunami, Simeulue Island was lifted as much as 150 centimeters (4.9 feet), exposing the reef that surrounded it. A similar set of exposed fossilized reefs on the shores of Papua New Guinea, near the Solomon Islands, provided proof that wobbles in the Earth's orbit trigger ice ages. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]Thanks to Aron Meltzner, California Institute of Technology, for help with image interpretation.
Earthquake Raises Reefs in t …
Title Earthquake Raises Reefs in the Solomon Islands
Description When people talk about change happening on a geologic time scale, most of the time, they mean that the change happens over the course of millions of years: the Colorado River gradually cuts through the soft rock of the Colorado Plateau until it has made a 4,000-foot-deep chasm, the Grand Canyon, continents drift centimeters at a time, slowly changing the shape and position of landmasses on the Earth. Most of the time, change is slow, but sometimes, geologic change happens all at once. This was the case on Ranongga Island in the Solomon Islands. In the early morning hours of April 2, 2007, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake shook the Solomon Islands, its epicenter southwest of Ranongga Island. The huge quake pushed much of the island up, raising the coral reefs that ringed the island above the water. In the course of a few minutes, Ranongga Island acquired several meters of new beach. The newly exposed reef forms a gray rim along the eastern shore of the island in the left image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on April 12, 2007. In the right image, taken on March 31, 2006, the shallowly submerged reefs color the water a lighter shade of blue. The uplift may be more dramatic than the images show. When ASTER took the 2007 image, the tide was 29.4 centimeters higher than it was when the 2006 image was taken, and yet the uplift is still visible. The lush vegetation that covers the tropical island is bright red in this image, which is made from both visible and infrared light. Out of its aquatic environment, the reef died, becoming the foundation of new land. Such evolution is common in earthquake zones in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the December 26, 2004, earthquake that generated the massive Indian Ocean tsunami, Simeulue Island was lifted as much as 150 centimeters (4.9 feet), exposing the reef that surrounded it. A similar set of exposed fossilized reefs on the shores of Papua New Guinea, near the Solomon Islands, provided proof that wobbles in the Earth's orbit trigger ice ages. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]Thanks to Aron Meltzner, California Institute of Technology, for help with image interpretation.
Islands of the Four Mountain …
Title Islands of the Four Mountains
Description In the northern Pacific Ocean off the southwest coast of Alaska, the planet is building new land. Arcing southwestward from Alaska like the tail of a kite, the Aleutian Islands are a string of active and dormant volcanoes fed by magma created by the collision of the Pacific Plate with the North American Plate. [ http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eastern/plates.html ] In the northeast part of the range, a cluster of summits known as the Islands of the Four Mountains is home to Cleveland Volcano, one of the Aleutians' most frequently active volcanoes. This image of the central part of the Islands of the Four Mountains group was captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite on July 27, 2007. In the center of the image, Cleveland Volcano is connected to Chuginadak Volcano by a thin strip of land that appears to be barely above sea level in places. Together these mountains make up Chuginadak Island. Vegetation on the lower slopes of the mountains is bright green, while bare rock is charcoal-colored. Even so late in the summer, snow streaks the summits. Although no ash clouds or fresh lava flows are visible, more subtle signs of recent activity at Cleveland Volcano do exist. A close-up view of the summit (lower image) shows a cloud that aerial photography confirmed was a steam plume. The other obvious sign of recent activity is the near absence of snow on the mountain. Cleveland's slopes are almost completely bare, while neighboring summits—all of which are lower in elevation—are capped with snow. Heat from the volcano frequently melts the snow pack on Cleveland. Scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/ ] keep track of activity in the Aleutian Islands for scientific and practical purposes: ash eruptions can create hazards for airplanes, which frequently pass through the area on their way from North America to Asia and Europe. The scientists use a combination of seismic data, Webcams, field visits, aerial photography, and satellite observations to do their jobs. At the time it captured this image, ASTER also collected thermal infrared data (not pictured) that documented that the crater was still warm (41 degrees Celsius, or 106 Fahrenheit) when Terra passed overhead. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the Islands of the Four Mountains [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/aleutians_ast_2007178.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Jebel at Tair Eruption
Title Jebel at Tair Eruption
Description Jebel at Tair, a volcanic island in the Red Sea, erupted at the end of September 2007. The eruption released lava and ash, and created a spectacular light show, according to observers in the area. On October 15, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite acquired this image. This shows a largely quieted volcano releasing only a faint volcanic plume. ASTER measures light visible to human eyes and infrared light, enabling the sensor to detect thermal anomalies caused by substantial temperature differences. The bright red spot at the summit is a thermal anomaly. A smaller, fainter anomaly appears just northwest of the summit. The volcano's slopes bear the marks of previous eruptions, the darker streaks indicating more recent lava flows.Jebel at Tair [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0201-01= ] is a stratovolcano—a cone composed of alternating layers of ash, lava, and rocks from earlier eruptions. The latest eruption is a continuation of activity on this island, where explosive eruptions were recorded in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The volcano is known by multiple names and spellings, including Jabal al-Tair, Jabal al-Tayr, Tair Island, Al-Tair Island, Djebel Teyr, and Jibbel Tir. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of Jebel al-Tair [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Oct2007/jebelaltair_ast_2007288.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Jebel at Tair Eruption
Title Jebel at Tair Eruption
Description On the evening of September 30, 2007, Jebel at Tair erupted, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14559 ] sending lava down its flanks and releasing a cloud of volcanic ash. On October 8, 2007, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite acquired this image. A glowing hot spot and a faint volcanic plume suggest that, although the volcano had quieted since September 30, its activity had not completely stopped. ASTER measures not only light visible to human eyes, but also infrared light, enabling the sensor to detect thermal anomalies caused by substantial temperature differences. The bright red spot at the summit is such an anomaly, and it suggests hot lava associated with ongoing volcanic activity. Immediately to the north of the summit is a small faint red streak, another thermal anomaly that appears to flow down the volcano's slope. At the same time, a nearly transparent plume emanates from the summit up toward a cloud. Water content of the volcanic plume could be responsible for this cloud, although clouds do routinely form over summits, even when the volcanoes are not active. On September 30, 2007, NATO ships in the region reported a spectacular "light show" complete with fountains of lava. Dark rivulets of rock in this image indicate an apparent lava flow in the northeast quadrant of the island, moving in the same direction as the faint thermal anomaly near the summit. These dark deposits likely resulted from the recent eruption, and contrast with the paler shades of older lava flows.Jebel at Tair [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0201-01= ] is a stratovolcano—a steep-sloped cone composed of alternating layers of ash, lava, and rocks produced by earlier eruptions. The latest eruption is a continuation of activity on this island, where explosive eruptions were recorded in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Jebel at Tair is known by multiple names and spellings. It has alternately been referred to as Jabal al-Tair, Jabal al-Tayr, Tair Island, Al-Tair Island, Djebel Teyr, and Jibbel Tir. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of Jebel at Tair [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/jabalaltair_ast_2007281.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Karymsky Volcano
Title Karymsky Volcano
Description One of Kamchatka's most active volcanoes, Karymsky lived up to its reputation in late 2006, with intermittent activity throughout the fall. On December 19, 2006, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image of the Karymsky Volcano and the surrounding region. To create this image, ASTER looked at light waves outside the human range of vision, including thermal infrared energy that humans would sense as heat. The red area near the summit indicates a hotspot of volcanic activity, and the tiny white streak over the hotspot may be a plume of steam. The dark triangle east of the summit shows the path of volcanic ash from previous eruptions. Ridges and valleys carve the landscape throughout.Karymsky Volcano [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1000-13= ] is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of hardened lava, ash, and rock. Historical activity has included moderate explosive eruptions and lava flows. South of the volcano is Karymsky Lake. This lake occupies the caldera of what vulcanologists once believed to be an extinct volcano. A catastrophic eruption [ http://www.pbs.org/edens/kamchatka/ring.html ] on New Year's Eve 1996 proved them wrong, wiping out the surrounding forest with tsunami waves. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Karymsky Volcano on Kamchatk …
Title Karymsky Volcano on Kamchatka
Description One of Kamchatka's most active volcanoes, Karymsky lived up to its reputation in late 2006, with intermittent activity throughout the fall. On December 19, 2006, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image of the Karymsky Volcano and the surrounding region. To create this image, ASTER looked at light waves outside the human range of vision, including thermal infrared energy that humans would sense as heat. The red area near the summit indicates a hotspot of volcanic activity, and the tiny white streak over the hotspot may be a plume of steam. The dark triangle east of the summit shows the path of volcanic ash from previous eruptions. Ridges and valleys carve the landscape throughout.Karymsky Volcano [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1000-13= ] is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of hardened lava, ash, and rock. Historical activity has included moderate explosive eruptions and lava flows. South of the volcano is Karymsky Lake. This lake occupies the caldera of what vulcanologists once believed to be an extinct volcano. A catastrophic eruption [ http://www.pbs.org/edens/kamchatka/ring.html ] on New Year's Eve 1996 proved them wrong, wiping out the surrounding forest with tsunami waves. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Landslide Buries Valley of t …
Title Landslide Buries Valley of the Geysers
Description Geysers are a rare natural phenomena found only in a few places, such as New Zealand, Iceland, the United States (Yellowstone National Park), and on Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. On June 3, 2007, one of these rare geyser fields was severely damaged when a landslide rolled through Russia's Valley of the Geysers. The landslide—a mix of mud, melting snow, trees, and boulders—tore a scar on the land and buried a number of geysers, thermal pools, and waterfalls in the valley. It also blocked the Geyser River, causing a new thermal lake to pool upstream. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this infrared-enhanced image on June 11, 2007, a week after the slide. The image shows the valley, the landslide, and the new thermal lake. Even in mid-June, just days from the start of summer, the landscape is generally covered in snow, though the geologically heated valley is relatively snow free. The tree-covered hills are red (the color of vegetation in this false-color treatment), providing a strong contrast to the aquamarine water and the gray-brown slide. According to the Russian News and Information Agency (RIA [ http://en.rian.ru/ ]) [English language], the slide left a path roughly a kilometer and a half (one mile) long and 200 meters (600 feet) wide. Within hours of the landslide, the water in the new lake inundated a number of additional geysers. The geysers directly buried under the landslide now lie under as much as 60 meters (180 feet) of material, according to RIA reports. It is unlikely that the geysers will be able to force a new opening through this thick layer, adds RIA. Among those directly buried is Pervenets (Firstborn), the first geyser found in the valley, in 1941. Other geysers, such as the Bolshoi (Greater) and Maly (Lesser) Geysers, were silenced when buried by water building up behind the new natural dam. According to Vladimir and Andrei Leonov of the Russian Federation Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, [ http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/expeditions/2007/Geyser_Valley-06-2007/Geyser_Valley-06.htm ], the new lake appears to be stable and draining gradually through the earthen dam, alleviating fears of a catastrophic flood. Should the new lake drain enough, many of the inundated geysers may restart. Initial reports from the Volcanology and Seismology Institute state this has already happened for some geysers. Geysers outside of the slide region, including the Velikan (Giant) Geyser and a major section of the geyser field known as Vitrazh (Stained Glass) appear to have escaped damage. In addition to destroying a number of geysers, the landslide may have damaged habitats in the Valley of the Geysers. The thermal waters and heated steam jets made this valley warmer than the surrounding landscape, and the warmth supported a unique ecosystem. The loss of a large part of its heat source may alter the ecosystem, but it is not clear what additional longer-term changes might occur. For example, salmon that spawn in the Geyser River will be confined to the lower reaches of the river, and bears, which depended on salmon, will need to shift feeding grounds correspondingly. Thanks to Sergey Chernomorets and Boris Yurchak for information and translation. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of Valley of the Geysers [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jun2007/kamgeysers_ast_2007162.kmz ] for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Landslide in the Philippines
Title Landslide in the Philippines
Description By March 1, 2006, the clouds over southern Leyte Island in the Philippines had largely cleared, providing the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite with this view of the landslide that buried a town. Nearly 1,000 people died in the town of Guinsaugon when heavy rains triggered the landslide on February 17. In this false-color image, the landslide is pallid gray against the vibrant red of the surrounding vegetation. Pools of pale aquamarine water on top of the mud reveal ongoing flooding. According to a Reuters news report, rescue efforts had to be suspended a few days before this image was taken because ongoing rain threatened further floods. This image also shows a dark blue lake above the landslide. This feature may have been present before the slide, or it may be a temporary lake created when the slide dammed a south-flowing waterway. This slide and floods in nearby Mindanao Island occurred as rain pounded the southern Philippines islands throughout most of February. The unseasonable rains may have been connected to a developing La Niña [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17180 ]. La Niña happens when the trade winds—winds that blow from east to west over the equator—are stronger than normal. The strong winds bring warmer water to the region around the Philippines and cooler water to the eastern Pacific off the shore of South America. These conditions often result in unusually wet weather in the Philippines. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using ASTER data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Landslide in the Philippines
Title Landslide in the Philippines
Description By March 1, 2006, the clouds over southern Leyte Island in the Philippines had largely cleared, providing the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite with this view of the landslide that buried a town. Nearly 1,000 people died in the town of Guinsaugon when heavy rains triggered the landslide on February 17. In this false-color image, the landslide is pallid gray against the vibrant red of the surrounding vegetation. Pools of pale aquamarine water on top of the mud reveal ongoing flooding. According to a Reuters news report, rescue efforts had to be suspended a few days before this image was taken because ongoing rain threatened further floods. This image also shows a dark blue lake above the landslide. This feature may have been present before the slide, or it may be a temporary lake created when the slide dammed a south-flowing waterway. This slide and floods in nearby Mindanao Island occurred as rain pounded the southern Philippines islands throughout most of February. The unseasonable rains may have been connected to a developing La Niña [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17180 ]. La Niña happens when the trade winds—winds that blow from east to west over the equator—are stronger than normal. The strong winds bring warmer water to the region around the Philippines and cooler water to the eastern Pacific off the shore of South America. These conditions often result in unusually wet weather in the Philippines. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using ASTER data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Landslide Lake in Tibet Floo …
Title Landslide Lake in Tibet Floods India
Description Roughly a year after forming behind a landslide dam, the lake on the Pareechu River in Tibet began to drain on June 26, 2005. Water and mud gushed down the Pareechu River into the Sutlej, the major river that flows through India?s Himachal Pradesh state. Thousands were evacuated from the banks of the Sutlej, and though several bridges and buildings were damaged or destroyed, no injuries were reported in the flood, according to news reports. On July 2, 2005, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of the shrinking lake. Both the lake and the river behind it have shrunk considerably since September 1, 2004, when the lower image was taken. A silvery sheen of mud or gravel seems to have replaced the dark blue water in the upper reaches of the river and lake. Below the lake, the river has grown where water is now pushing its way downstream. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
Eruption of Colima Volcano
Title Eruption of Colima Volcano
Description A series of explosive eruptions have thundered from the Colima Volcano, Mexico?s most active volcano. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of the Colima Volcano on June 3, 2005, just hours after two spectacular eruptions rumbled from the volcano. Two days later, on June 5, Colima experienced its strongest eruption in 20 years when it sent a dark column of ash more than five kilometers into the atmosphere at a rate of roughly 30 kilometers per hour, reports the Universidad de Colima?s Observatorio Vulcanologico [ http://www.ucol.mx/volcan/ ]. Colima also erupted on May 24 and May 30, and the ash from these and the June 2 and June 3 eruptions is clearly visible in the top image. A grey river of ash and rock flows down the west side of the peak, covering the vegetation that was visible on February 6, 2003, lower image. In these false-color images, the dense vegetation that surrounds the volcano is red. A light dusting of ash blankets the trees on the southeast side of the volcano, and fresh flows stream down all sides of the volcano. Because of its resemblance to the cloud in the upper right corner of the image, the cloud that rests over the summit of the volcano is probably a regular cloud, though it could also be a plume of steam. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ]
Eruption of Colima Volcano
Title Eruption of Colima Volcano
Description A series of explosive eruptions have thundered from the Colima Volcano, Mexico?s most active volcano. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) captured the top image of the Colima Volcano on June 3, 2005, just hours after two spectacular eruptions rumbled from the volcano. Two days later, on June 5, Colima experienced its strongest eruption in 20 years when it sent a dark column of ash more than five kilometers into the atmosphere at a rate of roughly 30 kilometers per hour, reports the Universidad de Colima?s Observatorio Vulcanologico [ http://www.ucol.mx/volcan/ ]. Colima also erupted on May 24 and May 30, and the ash from these and the June 2 and June 3 eruptions is clearly visible in the top image. A grey river of ash and rock flows down the west side of the peak, covering the vegetation that was visible on February 6, 2003, lower image. In these false-color images, the dense vegetation that surrounds the volcano is red. A light dusting of ash blankets the trees on the southeast side of the volcano, and fresh flows stream down all sides of the volcano. Because of its resemblance to the cloud in the upper right corner of the image, the cloud that rests over the summit of the volcano is probably a regular cloud, though it could also be a plume of steam. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ]
Lava Flow on Mount Etna
Title Lava Flow on Mount Etna
Description 15-meter-resolution KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/mtetna_ast_2006334.kmz ] of Mt. Etna is available for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, based on data provided by the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], Plumes of steam rose from several vents on Mount Etna on November 30, 2006, a testament to the volcano's ongoing activity. The strongest plume appears to be coming from the Northeast Crater, but a second fainter plume is also emanating from the Southeast Crater. Etna has been rattled by frequent eruptive episodes through much of 2006, and in late November, most of the activity was centered around the Southeast Crater, said the Italian Istituto Nazionale de Geofisica e Vulcanologia, [ http://www.ct.ingv.it/Etna2006/Default.htm ] the organization of volcanologists officially charged with monitoring the volcano. The eruption was marked by continuous lava flows from several vents in and near the crater, explosions, rockfalls, steam, and rock debris. Much of Etna's recent activity is evident in this image, taken by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on November 30. Snow caps the summit of the volcano, covering all but the freshest lava flows. One such flow sent rivers of lava down the southwest flank of the volcano between October 26 and November 19, 2006. Another pool of new lava sits on the eastern side of the Southeast Crater. By November 30, both pools had cooled into solid rock, which appears black in this image, made from a combination of visible and infrared light. Farther down the eastern side of the volcano, fresh lava pours from a third fissure and snakes down the mountain off the right edge of the image. Steam and possibly volcanic gases rise from the line of hot lava, obscuring the Valle del Bove, a depression in the side of the mountain formed by a collapse during an ancient eruption similar to Mount St. Helens' 1980 eruption. The intense heat coming from the new lava saturates ASTER's near-infrared sensors so that the river of lava glows red. Since plants reflect near-infrared light and ASTER can't tell the different between emitted and reflected light of the same wavelengths, plant-covered land surrounding the volcano is also red. Older lava flows and patches of otherwise bare earth are grey. Sitting on the eastern shore of Sicily, Mount Etna is Italy's highest and most voluminous volcano, says the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program. [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0101-06= ]Humans have recorded eruptions at Etna since 1500 BC, making Etna one of the world's best-documented volcanoes. Along with other volcanoes in southern Europe and southwestern Asia, Etna has one of the world's longest records of volcanic activity. Volcanic activity in the region is driven by the collision of the north-moving African Plate—the slab of the Earth's crust on which Africa rests— and the Eurasian Plate. This activity has produced such famous volcanoes as Santorini, in Greece, and Vesuvius in mainland Italy. A
Eruption of Colima Volcano
Title Eruption of Colima Volcano
Description Recurring eruptions of the Colima Volcanco have left visible changes on the local landscape since February 2003. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] flying on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, captured images of the Colima Volcano on June 21, 2005 (top), June 3, 2005 (middle), and February 6, 2003 (bottom). In these false-color images, vegetation appears in red, and rock and ash flows appear in gray. Between June 3 and June 21, eruptions sent a silvery gray stream of ash and rock down the east side of the mountain and dusted the forest with ash. In contrast to February 2003, the area covered by rock and ash has expanded in both 2005 images. The white clouds seen in both June images may be steam from the volcano but are more likely clouds passing overhead. Recorded eruptions of the Colima Volcano date back to the 16th century, and a major eruption in 1913 destroyed the volcano?s summit. Volcanoes pose multiple hazards [ http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs002-97/ ], many of which have been felt by local residents. According to news reports, repeated eruptions since early May 2005 have prompted evacuations of nearby communities. Ash fall has covered local highways, forced a temporary closure of Colima International Airport, and even killed some local livestock. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Eruption of Colima Volcano
Title Eruption of Colima Volcano
Description Recurring eruptions of the Colima Volcanco have left visible changes on the local landscape since February 2003. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] flying on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, captured images of the Colima Volcano on June 21, 2005 (top), June 3, 2005 (middle), and February 6, 2003 (bottom). In these false-color images, vegetation appears in red, and rock and ash flows appear in gray. Between June 3 and June 21, eruptions sent a silvery gray stream of ash and rock down the east side of the mountain and dusted the forest with ash. In contrast to February 2003, the area covered by rock and ash has expanded in both 2005 images. The white clouds seen in both June images may be steam from the volcano but are more likely clouds passing overhead. Recorded eruptions of the Colima Volcano date back to the 16th century, and a major eruption in 1913 destroyed the volcano?s summit. Volcanoes pose multiple hazards [ http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs002-97/ ], many of which have been felt by local residents. According to news reports, repeated eruptions since early May 2005 have prompted evacuations of nearby communities. Ash fall has covered local highways, forced a temporary closure of Colima International Airport, and even killed some local livestock. NASA images courtesy Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
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