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Rossby Waves TOPEX/Poseidon
This image shows three scene …
4/12/96
Date 4/12/96
Description This image shows three scenes taken from an animation created by TOPEX/Poseidon data of the ocean. The scenes show large-scale ocean waves with wavelengths of hundreds of kilometers, called Rossby waves. These waves carry a "memory" of weather changes that have happened at distant locations over the ocean. Scientists at Oregon State University are using the satellite data to track these waves as they move through the open ocean and have determined that at mid-latitudes the Rossby waves are moving two to three times faster than the existing theory predicts. Because Rossby waves can alter currents and their corresponding sea surface temperatures, the waves influence the way the oceans release heat to the atmosphere and, thus, are able to affect weather patterns. Precise information about how fast the waves travel may help forecasters improve their ability to predict the effects of El Nino events on weather patterns years in advance. The colors show variations in sea level in the Pacific Ocean. White and red indicate higher than average levels, while purple and magenta show lower than average levels. These scenes were taken by TOPEX/Poseidon in April, July and December 1993. The two small black circles in the April image show an area of warm water, called a Kelvin wave, moving along the equator toward the coast of the Americas. When this area of high sea level meets the coast, it creates two coastal waves, one traveling northward and the other traveling southward along the American coast. As these waves move poleward, Rossby waves "peel off" the coast and travel west. The solid lines show the crests of the waves (high sea level), while the dashed lines show wave troughs. TOPEX/Poseidon, a joint program of NASA and the Centre Nationale d'Etudes Spatiales, the French space agency, uses a radar altimeter to precisely measure sea-surface height. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. portion of the TOPEX/Poseidon mission for NASA's Office of Mission to Planet Earth. #####
TOPEX/El Nino
These three images depict th …
5/29/97
Date 5/29/97
Description These three images depict the evolution of a warm water Kelvin wave in the equatorial Pacific Ocean during March and April 1997. Kelvin waves are often precursors to El Nino events which can disrupt global weather patterns. These data were collected by the altimeter onboard the joint US/French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite and these images show sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage where the sea surface is elevated up to about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) and 10 centimeters (4 inches) respectively. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows the large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The warm water mass can affect where rain clouds form and, consequently, alter the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these data, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA) has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions. A number of El Niño forecast activities supported by NOAA indicate the likelihood of a moderate or strong El Niño in late 1997. The forecast model operated at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) used data collected by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite.
Sea Surface Height Anomalies …
Title Sea Surface Height Anomalies during El Nino/La Nina Event of 1997-1998 (WMS)
Abstract The El Nino/La Nina event in 1997-1999 was particularly intense, but was also very well observed by satellites and buoys. Changes in the normal height of the ocean's surface were observed by the TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter.
Completed 2005-03-31
Sea Surface Height Anomalies …
Title Sea Surface Height Anomalies during El Nino/La Nina Event of 1997-1998 (WMS)
Abstract The El Nino/La Nina event in 1997-1999 was particularly intense, but was also very well observed by satellites and buoys. Changes in the normal height of the ocean's surface were observed by the TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter.
Completed 2005-03-31
A Quiet Equatorial Pacific: …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Some climate forecast models …
ssh_jas_2003307
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2003-11-03
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/JPL sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ Ocean Surface Topography Team
identifier ssh_jas_2003307
Another Kelvin Wave Strenght …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
In the Pacific Ocean around …
ssh_jas_2006324
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-11-20
creator NASA -- NASA/JPL Ocean Surface Topography Team.
identifier ssh_jas_2006324
Pacific Climate Calm: Image …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
In early 2006, a weak eartho …
ssh_jas_2006144
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-05-21
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/JPL Ocean Surface Topography from Space team
identifier ssh_jas_2006144
El Nino May Be Morphing to L …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
New data of sea level height …
PIA09208
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2007-02-12
creator NASA -- NASA image by JPL sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ Ocean Surface Topography Team.
identifier PIA09208
Vertical Profile of the Smok …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
A new instrument in orbit ab …
GLAS_2003301
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2003-10-28
creator NASA -- Image courtesy Steve Palm, https://icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ICESat Team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
identifier GLAS_2003301
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - June 2 …
PIA00735
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - June 25, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on June 25, 1997 and provides more convincing information that the weather-disrupting phenomenon known as El Niño is back and getting stronger. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it s about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The surface area covered by the warm water mass is about one and one-half times the size of the continental United States. The added amount of oceanic warm water near the Americas, with a temperature between 21-30 degrees Celsius (70-85 degrees Fahrenheit), is about 30 times the volume of water in all the U.S. Great Lakes combined. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions.
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Indone …
PIA00742
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Indonesia Area, December, 1996 and August, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image These images of the Pacific Ocean near Indonesia were produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The images show sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions during December 1996 and August 1997. The difference in sea level between these months is tied to the movement of warm water away from Indonesia. In December (left image), red and white areas indicate the presence of warm, higher than average sea level around Indonesia. At this time, massive amounts of warm water were detected around Indonesia by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The warm, wet air from this water fed the normally heavy rainfall in this region. By August 1997 (right image), sea level had dropped well below average as shown by purple areas (sea level at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal). The warm water had shifted east towards the west coast of North and South America, taking the rains with it. The white and red areas indicate patterns of unusually high heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The movement of warm water away from the western Pacific is tied to the weather-disrupting phenomenon known as El Niño. The departure of the large mass of warm water that is normally located near Indonesia has affected where rain clouds form, altered the typical atmospheric patterns and brought devastating drought to Indonesia. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - March …
PIA00734
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - March thru June, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image These four views of the Pacific Ocean were produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite. The images show sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions from March 1997 through June 1997. This evolutionary view is providing oceanographers with more convincing information that the weather-disrupting phenomenon known as El Niño is back and getting stronger. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it s about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The surface area covered by the warm water mass is about one and one-half times the size of the continental United States. The added amount of oceanic warm water near the Americas, with a temperature between 21-30 degrees Celsius (70-85 degrees Fahrenheit), is about 30 times the volume of water in all the U.S. Great Lakes combined. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions.
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Octobe …
PIA00741
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - October 3, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Oct. 3, 1997 as the warm water associated with El Niño (in white) spreads northward along the entire coast of North America from the equator all the way to Alaska. The warm water pool in tropical Pacific resulting from El Niño seems to have stabilized. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The surface area covered by the warm water mass is about one and one-half times the size of the continental United States. The added amount of oceanic warm water near the Americas, with a temperature between 21 and 30 C (70 to 85 F), carries the amount of heat equal to 100 times the amount of fossil fuel energy consumed by the entire U.S. population during one year. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued an advisory indicating the presence of a strong El Niño condition throughout the coming winter. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch- Septemb …
PIA00736
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch- September 20, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on September 20, 1997 and provides more convincing information that the weather-disrupting phenomenon known as El Niño is back and getting stronger. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters ( 6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The surface area covered by the warm water mass is about one and one-half times the size of the continental United States. The added amount of oceanic warm water near the Americas, with a temperature between 21-30 degrees Celsius (70-85 degrees Fahrenheit), is about 30 times the volume of water in all the U.S. Great Lakes combined. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of the early indications of El Niño conditions. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niñ …
PIA01140
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niño Rhythm, Dec, 10, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Dec.10, 1997 and sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The volume and area of the warm water pool related to El Niño has increased again after reaching a temporary low around Dec. 1. TOPEX/Poseidon has been tracking the fluctuations of the El Niño warm pool since it began early this year. Oceanographers believe the recent increases and decreases in the size of the warm water pool at the equator are part of the natural rhythm of El Niño and that the warm pool is occasionally pumped up by wind bursts blowing from the western and central Pacific Ocean. Each wind burst has triggered a temporary increase in area and volume of the warm pool. These data collected throughout 1997 have provided scientists with their first detailed view of how El Niño's warm pool behaves because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of a strong El Niño condition throughout the winter. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niñ …
PIA01164
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niño Warm Water Pool Decreasing, Jan, 08, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Jan. 8, 1998, and sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The volume of the warm water pool related to the El Niño has decreased by about 40 percent since its maximum in early November, but the area of the warm water pool is still about one and a half times the size of the continental United States. The volume measurements are computed as the sum of all the sea surface height changes as compared to normal ocean conditions. In addition, the maximum water temperature in the eastern tropical Pacific, as measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is still higher than normal. Until these high temperatures diminish, the El Niño warm water pool still has great potential to disrupt global weather because the high water temperatures directly influence the atmosphere. Oceanographers believe the recent decrease in the size of the warm water pool is a normal part of El Niño's natural rhythm. TOPEX/Poseidon has been tracking these fluctuations of the El Niño warm pool since it began in early 1997. These sea surface height measurements have provided scientists with their first detailed view of how El Niño's warm pool behaves because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of a strong El Niño condition throughout the winter. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
She's Back? La Niña Developi …
PIA03665
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title She's Back? La Niña Developing?
Original Caption Released with Image The tropical Pacific Ocean is beginning to exhibit the characteristics of a developing La Niña condition. This image shows that the gradual cooling of the central equatorial Pacific over the past few months is continuing and the area of low sea level (shown in blue) has decreased (cooled) slightly over last few months. It is still uncertain, scientists say, that this cold pool will evolve into a long-lasting, strong La Niña situation. For a complete discussion of this evolving situation and potential implications see: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2559.htm [ http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2559.htm ]. This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French Jason satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on December 31, 2005, these sea surface heights are an indicator of the changing amount of heat stored in the ocean. The purple areas in this image are about 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal, creating a deficit in the heat supply to the surface waters. The white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. A La Niña situation is essentially the opposite of an El Niño condition. During La Niña, the trade winds are stronger than normal and the cold water that normally exists along the coast of South America extends to the central equatorial Pacific. A La Niña reappears every three to five years and, if the present event strengthens, it will certainly reorganize global weather patterns. The U.S. portion of the Jason mission is managed by JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Science Mission Directorate to better understand and protect our home planet.
Pacific Ocean in Holding Pat …
PIA03850
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Ocean in Holding Pattern for El Niño
Original Caption Released with Image The Pacific Ocean doesn't show signs of anything that looks like the whopper El Niño of 1997-1998, according to the latest information from the U.S.-French ocean-observing satellite Topex/Poseidon. The data do show that the mid-equatorial Pacific Ocean has slowly warmed by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal in the past few months. However, the Pacific continues to be dominated by the larger-than-El Niño /La Niña pattern called the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which may discourage El Niño development."Except for some recent mid-Pacific warming, June 2002 looks very much like June 2001," said oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We're still in an E Niño holding pattern." ( See June 2001 image [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/20010621.html ]) The Topex/Poseidon data were taken during a 10-day collection cycle ending June 14, 2002. They show that there hasn't been any fundamental change in the ocean's large-scale patterns for the past three years. The near-equatorial ocean has been very quiet, although sea levels and sea-surface temperatures are near normal or slightly warmer throughout the far western and central tropical Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal, white areas show the sea-surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13inches) above normal. This warmth contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and U.S. West Coast, where lower-than-normal sea-surface levels (blue areas) and cool ocean temperatures continue. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches)below normal, and the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6to 7 inches) below normal.
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Topex/ …
PIA01498
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Topex/Poseidon Shows Unusual Pacific, November 29, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on November 29, 1998, these sea surface heights are an indicator of the changing amount of heat stored in the ocean. The image shows that an unusual large-scale warming (shown here in red and white) of the western Pacific first observed in early November has spread to the central Pacific. The low sea level or cold pool of water commonly referred to as La Niña, shown in purple, has remained essentially the same, changing very little in size and heat content. Oceanographers believe that the coexistence of these two contrasting conditions -- cooler water along the equator and warmer water in both the northern and southern hemispheres -- indicates that the ocean and the climate system have not recovered from the record-breaking warming that has occurred during the past two years. The purple areas are 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal and the blue areas are 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. The white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA01497
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña looks "frozen" in Pacific, November 8, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on November 8, 1998, these sea surface heights are an indicator of the changing amount of heat stored in the ocean. The image shows that the low sea level or cold pool of water commonly referred to as La Niña, shown in purple, has stayed about the same for the last five months changing very little in size and heat content. The satellite's ability to monitor the entire ocean indicates there is also a large-scale warming taking place in the western Pacific, shown here in red and white. Oceanographers believe that the coexistence of these two contrasting conditions -- cooler water along the equator and warmer water in both the northern and southern hemispheres -- indicates that the ocean and the climate system have not recovered from the record-breaking warming that has occurred during the past two years. The purple areas are 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal and the blue areas are 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. The white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Moistu …
PIA01450
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Moisture in the Atmosphere, Jan & Feb, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image his series of six images shows the evolution of atmospheric water vapor over the Pacific Ocean during the 1998 El Niño condition. Higher than normal ocean water temperatures increase the rate of evaporation, and the resulting warm moist air rises into the atmosphere, altering global weather patterns. Data obtained by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) during January and February 1998 show a decrease in the extent of high levels of water vapor (red) over the eastern equatorial Pacific and an increase in water vapor (yellow to red) over the northwestern Pacific off the coast of Japan. This area is a breeding ground for winter storms that move eastward toward North America. During this El Niño condition, the southern tropical jet stream has shifted northward, bringing additional moisture from the tropics. When these two sources of moisture converge near California, they produce storms with higher-than-normal rainfall. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niñ …
PIA01451
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niño is Still Lingering in the Pacific May 3, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea-surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on May 3, 1998, and sea-surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The image shows that sea-surface height along the central and eastern equatorial Pacific has maintained a near normal state since March 1998. However, the western equatorial Pacific, shown here in purple, has not returned to a normal state and is still about 30 centimeters (12 inches) below normal sea level. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown in red and white, are situated to the north of the equator. Oceanographers indicate these measurements show that the Pacific has not yet fully recovered from this large El Niño event. These sea-surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of how the 1997-98 El Niño's warm water pool behaves because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using satellite imagery, buoy and ship data, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has continued to issue an advisory indicating the so-called El Niño weather conditions that have impacted much of the United States and the world are expected to remain through the spring. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Satell …
PIA01474
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Satellite Shows Pacific Running Hot and Cold, September 12, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on September 12, 1998, these sea surface heights are an indicator of the changing amount of heat stored in the ocean. The tropical Pacific Ocean continues to exhibit the complicated characteristics of both a lingering El Niño, and a possibly waning La Niña situation. This image shows that the rapid cooling of the central tropical Pacific has slowed and this area of low sea level (shown in purple) has decreased slightly since last month. It is still uncertain, scientists say, that this cold pool will evolve into a long-lasting La Niña situation. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown here in red and white, are still lingering to the north and south of the equator. The coexistence of these two contrasting conditions indicates that the ocean and the climate system remain in transition. These strong patterns have remained in the climate system for many months and will continue to influence weather conditions around the world in the coming fall and winter. The satellite's sea-surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of the 1997-98 El Niño because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. The purple areas are about 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal, creating a deficit in the heat supply to the surface waters. The white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. The purple areas are 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal and the blue areas are 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. A La Niña situation is essentially the opposite of an El Niño condition, but during La Niña the trade winds are stronger than normal and the cold water that normally exists along the coast of South America extends to the central equatorial Pacific. A La Niña situation also changes global weather patterns, and is associated with less moisture in the air resulting in less rain along the west coasts of North and South America. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niñ …
PIA01453
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - El Niño in Retreat, Pacific in Transition, June 14, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea-surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on June 14, 1998, and sea-surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. This image shows that the tropical Pacific has been switching from warm to cold during the last few months. The purple area in the center of the image is a pulse of cold water moving across the equator which the satellite measures as a region of lower than normal sea level. Scientists indicate that it appears that the central equatorial Pacific ocean will stay colder than normal for some time to come because sea level is about 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal, creating a deficit in the heat supply to the surface waters. It is not certain yet, if this current cooling trend (shown in purple) will eventually evolve into a long-lasting La Niña situation. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown here in red and white, are still lingering north of the equator in the center of this image. The effects of El Niño can remain in the climate system for a long time and could still impact weather conditions around the world. The satellite's sea-surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of the 1997-98 El Niño because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. The purple areas are 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal and the blue areas are 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. A La Niña situation is essentially the opposite of an El Niño condition, where the trade winds are stronger than normal and the cold water that normally exists along the coast of South America extends to the central equatorial Pacific. A La Niña situation also changes global weather patterns, and is associated with less moisture in the air resulting in less rain along the coasts of North and South America. TOPEX/Poseidon will be able to track a potentially developing La Niña with the same accuracy. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Little …
PIA01473
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Little Change in Pacific, August 13, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on August 13, 1998, sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The purple area in the center of the image is a pool of cold water that the satellite measures as a region of lower than normal sea level. This image shows that the rapid cooling of the central tropical Pacific has stalled and this area of low sea level has stayed in about the same place for the last two months. The purple areas are about 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal, creating a deficit in the heat supply to the surface waters. It is not certain yet, if this current cooling trend (shown in purple) will eventually evolve into a long-lasting La Niña situation. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown here in red and white, are still lingering to the north and south of the equator. The effects of El Niño can remain in the climate system for a long time and could still impact weather conditions around the world. The satellite's sea-surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of the 1997-98 El Niño because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. The purple areas are 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal and the blue areas are 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. A La Niña situation is essentially the opposite of an El Niño condition, where the trade winds are stronger than normal and the cold water that normally exists along the coast of South America extends to the central equatorial Pacific. A La Niña situation also changes global weather patterns, and is associated with less moisture in the air resulting in less rain along the coasts of North and South America. TOPEX/ Poseidon will be able to track a potentially developing La Niña with the same accuracy. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Warm W …
PIA01448
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Warm Water Pool is Thinning, Feb, 5, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Feb. 5, 1998 and sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The area and volume of the El Niño warm water pool that is affecting global weather patterns remains extremely large, but the pool has thinned along the equator and near the coast of South America. This "thinning" means that the warm water is not as deep as it was a few months ago. Oceanographers indicate this is a classic pattern, typical of a mature El Niño condition that they would expect to see during the ocean's gradual transition back to normal sea level. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using satellite imagery, buoy and ship data, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has continued to issue an advisory indicating the so-called El Niño weather conditions that have impacted much of the United States and the world are expected to remain through the spring. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Satell …
PIA01449
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Satellite shows El Niño-related Sea Surface Height, Mar, 14, 1998
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Mar. 14, 1998 and sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. The image shows that the sea surface height along the central equatorial Pacific has returned to a near normal state. Oceanographers indicate this is a classic pattern, typical of a mature El Niño condition. Remnants of the El Niño warm water pool, shown in red and white, are situated to the north and south of the equator. These sea surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of how the 1997-98 El Niño's warm pool behaves because the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measures the changing sea surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using satellite imagery, buoy and ship data, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has continued to issue an advisory indicating the so-called El Niño weather conditions that have impacted much of the United States and the world are expected to remain through the spring.
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Strong …
PIA02935
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Strong, Long-lasting La Niña Just Fading Away, June 19, 2000
Original Caption Released with Image ."Let's not forget that the legacy of two years of La Niña will be with us this summer and into the fall," said JPL oceanographer Dr. William Patzert. "Much of the nation's farmland is really dry in many regions. The reality is that the atmosphere is still acting as though La Niña remains." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service has forecasted continuing drought for much of the midwestern and southeastern United States and an active hurricane season for our coming summer. NOAA seasonal forecasts can be found at http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov [ http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov ] . The U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by JPL for the NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. For more information on the TOPEX/Poseidon project, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ], After dominating the tropical Pacific Ocean for more than two years, the 1998-2000 La Niña "cool pool" is continuing its slow fade and seems to be retiring from the climate stage, according to the latest satellite data from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission. These data, taken during a 10-day cycle of collection ending June 9, show that the equatorial Pacific continues to warm up and is returning to normal (green) as this latest, persistent, two-year La Niña episode is coming to an end. Only a few patches of cooler, lower sea levels (seen in blue and purple) remain across the tropics. It should be noted that in June 1999, La Niña barely had a pulse, but was resuscitated in fall 1999. (See June 1999 press release on that topic at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/990629.html [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/990629.html ] .) The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, whereas the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. In the far-western tropical Pacific Ocean, the ocean remains higher and warmer than normal. In summary, it appears that the global climate system is finally emerging from the past three years of dramatic swings from the extra-large El Niño of 1997/1998, which was followed by two unusually cool and persistent La Niña years, according to scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. But as the northern hemisphere summer begins, above-normal sea surface heights and warmer ocean temperatures (indicated by the red and white areas) still blanket the western equatorial Pacific and much of the north and south mid-Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal, white areas show the sea surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal. This contrasts with the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska region southward along the western coast of North America, where lower-than-normal sea levels and cool ocean temperatures continue, although this pattern is also weakening. A possible switch in this larger-than-El Niño/La Niña, slower-changing pattern -- the Pacific Decadal Oscillation -- was first noticed by many scientists in late 1998. See a January 2000 press release on that topic at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/20000118.html [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/20000118.html ] , or for further information and graphics about the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/discover/PDO.html [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/discover/PDO.html ]
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA01525
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña Weakening, January 17, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on January 17, 1999, sea surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the ocean. This image shows that the unusual large-scale warming (shown here in red and white) in the northwest Pacific that was first observed by the satellite in November 1998 has increased in size and spread east to the central Pacific and south to the equator. The low sea level or cold pool of water along the equator, commonly referred to as La Niña (shown in purple), has weakened in size and heat content during the last several months. Although weakening, the La Niña pattern continues to exert a strong influence on the worldwide climate system. According to oceanographers, the cold La Niña water acts like a boulder in a stream, steering the planet's prevailing winds and changing the course of storms that are born over the ocean. Equally important to North America's winter weather is the very large area of unusually warm Western Pacific ocean. Although the appearance of this feature is not fully understood or anticipated, it is adding energy to the winter storms coming out of the North Pacific which is fueling the very volatile weather over the continental U.S. In this image, the white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. The purple areas are 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal and the blue areas are 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX El Niño/La Niña - Enti …
PIA01528
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX El Niño/La Niña - Entire Pacific is out of Whack, April 7, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image New sea surface height measurements from the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite show that the sea level and temperature of the entire Pacific is "out of balance," including a large area of abnormally cool water along the west coast of North America that scientists say will influence regional weather patterns along the west coast of the Americas this summer. Southern California's seasonal "June gloom" weather, caused by a marine layer that traps smog over the Los Angeles basin, may linger throughout the summer as a result, according to oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of JPL. "Our data certainly show that the unusual oceanic climatic conditions that gave rise to El Niño and La Niña are not returning to a normal state." he said. "Our planet's climate system continues to exhibit rather wild behavior. These large warm and cold, high and low sea levels are slow-developing and long-lasting, and will certainly influence global climate and weather for the coming summer and into next fall." The unusually cool water (areas of lower sea level shown in blue and purple) extends from the Gulf of Alaska along the North American coast, sweeping south-westward from Baja California, where it merges with the remnants of La Niña. The La Niña phenomenon's cool, lower sea levels across the equator continue to weaken and break into (purple) patches. The northwest Pacific continues to be warmer than normal, though the variations from normal are not as great as in recent months. Areas where the Pacific Ocean is normal appear in green. The data represented in the image were collected from May 12-22. TOPEX/Poseidon's sea-surface height measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of the 1998-99 La Niña and the 1997-98 El Niño because the satellite's altimeter measures the changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. In this image, the purple areas are about 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal, creating a deficit in the heat supply to the surface waters. The white areas show the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA s Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Los Ni …
PIA02969
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Los Niños may be Gone, But Pacific Pattern Remains August 14, 2000
Original Caption Released with Image After three years of El Niño and La Niña with their often devastating climate consequences, the Pacific is finally calming down in the tropics but still shows signs of being abnormal elsewhere, according to the latest satellite data from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission. These data, taken during a 10-day cycle of collection ending August 17, show that tropical Pacific sea levels, which indicate how much heat is stored in the ocean, have returned to near-normal (green) after three years of dramatic fluctuations. See http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/ . But as summer ends in the Northern Hemisphere, remnants of the past few years remain embedded in the upper ocean. Above-normal sea surface heights and warmer ocean temperatures (indicated by the red and white areas) still blanket the far-western tropical Pacific and much of the north (and south) mid-Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal, white areas show the sea surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal. This contrasts with the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska where lower-than-normal sea levels and cool ocean temperatures continue (indicated by blue areas), although this pattern is also weakening. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, whereas the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. Looking at the entire Pacific basin, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation's (PDO) characteristic warm horseshoe and cool wedge pattern is still evident in this sea-level height image. The PDO is a long-term ocean temperature fluctuation of the Pacific Ocean that waxes and wanes approximately every 10 to 20 years. Most recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sea-surface temperature date also clearly illustrate the persistence of this basin-wide pattern. They are available at: http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climo.html."The present calming started three to four months ago when the La Niña faded away," said oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "It appears that the global climate system is finally recovering from the past three years of dramatic swings from the extra-large El Niño of 1997/1998, which was followed by two unusually cool and persistent La Niña years.""The good news is that we're finally out from under the El Niño and La Niña of the past three years," Patzert said. "Unfortunately, in the longer term, the reality is that the PDO pattern still dominates the Pacific and, in the short term, the atmosphere is still acting as though La Niña remains. The western United States continues hot and dry, and a larger than normal number of hurricanes are forecast by NOAA for both the Pacific and the Atlantic. Also for the remainder of the summer and into the fall, we are continuing to experience the legacy or hangover from El Niño and La Niña -- the devastating Western U.S. fires from the, Canadian to Mexican borders are one example." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service has forecasted continuing heat in the Western United States and an active hurricane season for the end of summer and into the fall. NOAA seasonal forecasts can be found at: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov. This month marks the eighth anniversary of the launch of TOPEX/Poseidon, a mission that had been planned to last only three to five years. The satellite has orbited Earth more than 37,400 times and completed 290 10-day data collection cycles. More than 99 percent of all available mission data has been collected and archived by the operations team at JPL. The U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by JPL for the NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. For more information on the TOPEX/Poseidon project, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ]
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA01526
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña Hangs On, February 27, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA., The cold pool of water in the Pacific known as "La Niña" still persists, although it is slowly weakening, according to scientists studying new data from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. A new image, produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the satellite, is available on the Internet at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/. It shows sea-surface height on February 27, 1999 relative to normal ocean conditions, reflecting the heat content of the ocean. The low sea level or cold pool of water along the equator (shown in purple and blue), commonly referred to as La Niña, still dominates the equatorial Pacific Ocean. This La Niña, which first appeared in May through June 1998, still persists, although it is slowly weakening, scientists say. Given its persistence and present strength, the ocean cooling trend is expected to continue to exert a strong influence on global climate systems throughout the spring and into the early summer. This situation is similar to the 1997-1998 El Niño, which extended into early summer 1998. The world's oceans are the great reservoirs of heat that influence global climate because they can cool or heat the atmosphere above. This transfer of heat drives weather patterns across both land and sea. La Niña provides a physical link connecting the large, slow changes in the ocean with predictable changes in day-to-day weather."La Niña shifts the high-altitude weather highway known as the jet stream," said Dr. William Patzert, an oceanographer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "It funnels storm tracks to the Pacific Northwest, which has resulted in heavy rainfall and lots of snow in that region so far, as well as the upper Midwest. Much of the Southwest, by contrast, has been shielded from stormy weather and, as a result, has received significantly less precipitation than normal to date. This year's La Niña was average in its intensity, but at its peak, it was associated with a 15 to 20-centimeter deep trough (6 to 8 inches) in the central tropical Pacific," Patzert said. "The depression was correlated with a 2 to 3-degree Centigrade (about 3.5 to 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit) dip in normal ocean surface temperatures." The image also shows that the very large, unusual area of higher or warmer water (shown here in red and white) in the western Pacific Ocean, from the tropics to the Gulf of Alaska, continues to expand. Although the appearance of this feature is not fully understood, it is recognized as influential to overall weather and climate. The white areas in the image indicate that the sea-surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, sea-surface height is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions. The purple areas are between 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal, and the blue areas are between 5 to 13 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) below normal. The TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by the Jet
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA01586
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña Barely Has a Pulse, June 18, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image Lingering just a month ago in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the La Niña phenomenon, with its large volume of chilly water, barely has a pulse this month, according to new satellite data from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission. The data, taken during a 10-day cycle of data collection ending June 18, show that the equatorial Pacific Ocean is warming up and returning to normal (green) as La Niña all but vanishes. The warming trend is most apparent in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, where only a few patches of cooler, low sea levels (seen in blue and purple) remain. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, whereas the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. Like its counterpart, El Niño, a La Niña condition will influence global climate and weather until it has completely subsided. As summer begins in the northern hemisphere, lower-than-normal sea surface levels and cool ocean temperatures persist in the northeastern Gulf of Alaska and along the western coast of North America. In contrast, the trend is the opposite over most of the Pacific, where above-normal sea surface heights and warmer ocean temperatures (indicated by the red and white areas) appear to be increasing and dominating the overall Pacific Ocean. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal, white areas show the sea surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 and 13 inches) above normal. Scientists are not ready to administer last rites to La Niña, though. In the last 12 months, the pool of unusually cold water in the Pacific has shrunk (warmed) several times before cooling (expanding) again. This summer's altimeter data will help them determine whether La Niña has truly dissipated or whether they will see another resurgence of cool water in the Pacific. The TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/ [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Pacific Shows Signs of Morph …
PIA09208
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Shows Signs of Morphing From Warm El Nino To Cool La Nina
Original Caption Released with Image New data of sea-level heights from early February, 2007, by the Jason altimetric satellite show that the tropical Pacific Ocean has transitioned from a warm (El Niño) to a cool (La Niña) condition during the prior two months. The beginnings of a possible La Niña are indicated by the blue area (in the center of the image along the equator) of lower than normal sea level (cold water). It is not certain yet if this current cooling trend will eventually evolve into a long-lasting, well-developed La Niña. "La Niña could send an already parched Western United States to its knees," said JPL oceanographer Dr. Bill Patzert. "In the Southwest, we call La Niña the little lady with the big dry punch." A La Niña situation often follows an El Niño episode and is essentially the opposite of an El Niño condition. During a La Nina, trade winds are stronger than normal, and the cold water that normally exists along the coast of South America extends to the central equatorial Pacific. A La Niña situation changes global weather patterns and is associated with less moisture in the air, resulting in less rain along the coasts of North and South America. Jason will continue to track this developing switch in the climate. This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea-surface height measurements taken by the U.S.-French Jason satellite. The image is based on the average of 10 days of data centered on February 12, 2007, compared to the long-term average of observations from 1993 through 2005. In this image, places where the Pacific sea surface height is higher (warmer) than normal are yellow and red, and places where the sea surface is lower (cooler) than normal are blue and purple. Green shows where conditions are near normal. Sea-surface height is an indicator of the heat content of the upper ocean. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. portion of the U.S./French Jason mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. For more information on NASA's ocean surface topography missions, see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] or to view the latest Jason data see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/science/jason1-quick-look/ [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/science/jason1-quick-look/ ].
Pacific Dictates Droughts an …
PIA05071
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Dictates Droughts and Drenchings
Original Caption Released with Image The latest remote sensing data from NASA's Jason satellite show that the equatorial Pacific sea surface levels are higher, indicating warmer sea surface temperatures in the central and west Pacific Ocean. This pattern has the appearance of La Niña rather than El Niño. This contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and U.S. West Coast where lower-than-normal sea surface levels and cool ocean temperatures continue (indicated by blue and purple areas). The image above is a global map of sea surface height, accurate to within 30 millimeters. The image represents data collected and composited over a 10-day period, ending on Jan 23, 2004. The height of the water relates to the temperature of the water. As the ocean warms, its level rises, and as it cools, its level falls. Yellow and red areas indicate where the waters are relatively warmer and have expanded above sea level, green indicates near normal sea level, and blue and purple areas show where the waters are relatively colder and the surface is lower than sea level. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, whereas the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. (For more details, visit the Jason Website [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].) The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov.
Pacific Decadal Oscillation …
PIA06381
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Decadal Oscillation Influences Drought (June 27, 2004)
Original Caption Released with Image Recent sea level height data from the U.S./France Jason altimetric satellite during a 10-day cycle ending June 27, 2004, shows that Pacific equatorial surface ocean heights and temperatures are near neutral, but perhaps tending towards a mild La Niña for this summer and into the fall. "In the U.S. we are still under the influence of the larger than El Niño and La Niña Pacific Decadal Oscillation shift in Pacific Ocean heat content and temperature patterns." Much of the nation's western farmland and forests are really dry as we continue to struggle with a severe 6-year drought. The reality is that the atmosphere is acting as though La Niña is present. This continuing oceanic pattern in the Pacific and atmospheric pattern over the western U.S. is also a precursor for an active hurricane season for the East and Gulf coasts for our coming summer and fall," said JPL oceanographer Dr. Bill Patzert. These images show sea surface height anomalies with the seasonal cycle (the effects of summer, fall, winter, and spring) removed. The differences between what we see and what is normal for different times and regions are called anomalies, or residuals. When oceanographers and climatologists view these "anomalies" they can identify unusual patterns and can tell us how heat is being stored in the ocean to influence future planetary climate events. Each image is a 10-day average of data, ending on the date indicated.
Pacific Decadal Oscillation …
PIA06380
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Decadal Oscillation Influences Drought (June 15, 2004)
Original Caption Released with Image Recent sea level height data from the U.S./France Jason altimetric satellite during a 10-day cycle ending June 15, 2004, shows that Pacific equatorial surface ocean heights and temperatures are near neutral, but perhaps tending towards a mild La Niña for this summer and into the fall. "In the U.S. we are still under the influence of the larger than El Niño and La Niña Pacific Decadal Oscillation shift in Pacific Ocean heat content and temperature patterns." Much of the nation's western farmland and forests are really dry as we continue to struggle with a severe 6-year drought. The reality is that the atmosphere is acting as though La Niña is present. This continuing oceanic pattern in the Pacific and atmospheric pattern over the western U.S. is also a precursor for an active hurricane season for the East and Gulf coasts for our coming summer and fall," said JPL oceanographer Dr. Bill Patzert. These images show sea surface height anomalies with the seasonal cycle (the effects of summer, fall, winter, and spring) removed. The differences between what we see and what is normal for different times and regions are called anomalies, or residuals. When oceanographers and climatologists view these "anomalies" they can identify unusual patterns and can tell us how heat is being stored in the ocean to influence future planetary climate events. Each image is a 10-day average of data, ending on the date indicated.
TOPEX El Niño/La Niña -La Ni …
PIA00031
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX El Niño/La Niña -La Niña Begins to Fade, April 7, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image The cold pool of water in the Pacific known as "La Niña" is beginning to fade, but ocean conditions have not returned to normal, according to scientists studying new images from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. New imagery of sea-surface heights taken this month by the ocean-observing satellite show cooler temperatures and lower sea levels across the equatorial Pacific Ocean (seen in blue and purple in the center of the image) are diminishing, which indicates that the equatorial Pacific is slowly returning to normal. However, in the north and south Pacific Ocean, temperatures and sea level remain high (seen in red and white), a pattern that began many months ago. In a nutshell, this means that although La Niña is fading, heat distribution in the Pacific Ocean remains dramatically out of balance. The TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA s Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Octobe …
PIA01053
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - October 23, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Oct. 23, 1997 as the warm water associated with El Niño (in white) spreads northward along the entire coast of North America from the equator all the way to Alaska. The warm water pool associated with the El Niño has returned to the volume it was in mid-September after dropping to a temporary low at the beginning of October. The sea surface elevation just north of the El Niño warm pool continues to drop (purple area), enhancing the eastward flowing North Equatorial Counter Current. The intensification of this current is another tell-tale sign of the El Niño phenomenon. This flow contributes to the rise in sea level along the western coasts of the Americas that will progress towards both the north and south poles over the next several months. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The surface area covered by the warm water mass is about one and one-half times the size of the continental United States. The added amount of oceanic warm water near the Americas, with a temperature between 21-30 degrees Celsius (70- 85 degrees Fahrenheit), is about 30 times the volume of water in all the U.S. Great Lakes combined. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of a strong El Niño condition throughout the winter. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Warm W …
PIA01085
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Warm Water Pool is Increasing, Nov. 10, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Nov. 10, 1997. The volume of extra warm surface water (shown in white) in the core of the El Niño continues to increase, especially in the area between 15 degrees south latitude and 15 degrees north latitude in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The area of low sea level (shown in purple) has decreased somewhat from late October. The white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 centimeters and 32 cm (6 inches to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The surface area covered by the warm water mass is about one-and-one-half times the size of the continental United States. The added amount of oceanic warm water near the Americas, with a temperature between 21 to 30 degrees Celsius (70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit), is about 30 times the volume of water in all the U.S. Great Lakes combined. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white areas) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmospheric system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued an advisory indicating the presence of a strong El Niño condition throughout the winter. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - "Doubl …
PIA01099
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - "Double Peak" Pattern Complete, Dec, 1, 1997
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the Pacific Ocean was produced using sea surface height measurements taken by the U.S./French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The image shows sea surface height relative to normal ocean conditions on Dec. 1, 1997. The volume of the warm water related to El Niño has receded to about the level it was in early September. Oceanographers note that this El Niño has just completed a classic "double peak" pattern in the eastern Pacific with the first peak in sea level occurring in July and the second peak in October. This pattern is very similar to what was observed during the 1982-83 El Niño, although at that time the double peaks occurred in January and April 1983. After the appearance of the double peaks in 1982-83, the sea level then began falling back to normal levels within a few months. In this image, the white and red areas indicate unusual patterns of heat storage, in the white areas, the sea surface is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal, in the red areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal. The green areas indicate normal conditions, while purple (the western Pacific) means at least 18 centimeters (7 inches) below normal sea level. The El Niño phenomenon is thought to be triggered when the steady westward blowing trade winds weaken and even reverse direction. This change in the winds allows a large mass of warm water (the red and white area) that is normally located near Australia to move eastward along the equator until it reaches the coast of South America. The displacement of so much warm water affects evaporation, where rain clouds form and, consequently, alters the typical atmospheric jet stream patterns around the world. Using these global data, limited regional measurements from buoys and ships, and a forecasting model of the ocean-atmosphere system, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), has issued an advisory indicating the presence of a strong El Niño condition throughout the winter. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov
Jason Satellite Observes Mil …
PIA01939
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Jason Satellite Observes Mild El Nino in 2006
Original Caption Released with Image In September 2006, NASA satellite data indicated that El Niño had returned to the tropical Pacific Ocean, although it was relatively weak. As of early October, scientists were not sure if the event would persist, and it was much less intense than the last major El Niño episode, which happened in 1997-1998. That event brought devastating floods to California that cost millions of dollars in damage while severe drought struck Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines. Among the ocean characteristics that signal developing El Niño events is a change in average sea surface height compared to normal sea level. When water warms, it expands a little, which changes its volume slightly. When heat begins to build up in the Pacific during an El Niño event, the sea surface height begins to creep up. NASA observes changes in average sea surface height using its Jason satellite. The image is based on the average of 10 days of data centered on September 15, 2006, compared to the long-term average of observations from 1993-2005. In this image, places where the Pacific sea surface height is higher (warmer) than normal are yellow, orange, and red, and places where the sea surface is lower (cooler) than normal are blue and purple. Green shows where conditions are near normal. The swath of red in the center of the scene reveals that an El Niño was in progress when Jason observed the Pacific. El Niño is a cyclical warming of the ocean waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific that generally occurs every 3 to 7 years. It is linked with changes in air pressure and high-level winds that can affect weather worldwide. Typically peaking during the Northern Hemisphere winter months, El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. It alternates with La Niña, the cooling of ocean waters in the same region of the Pacific. According to Bill Patzert, oceanographer and climatologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, "The present conditions indicate that the intensity of this El Niño is too weak to have a major influence on current weather patterns. But, if the ocean waters continue to warm and spread eastward, this event would likely strengthen, perhaps bringing much-needed rainfall to the southwestern and southeastern United States this winter." The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other, space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Science Mission Directorate to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on NASA's ocean surface topography missions, see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] or to view the latest Jason data see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/science/jason1-quick-look/ [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/science/jason1-quick-look/ ].
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Pacifi …
PIA02403
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Pacific ocean conditions are split: cold in east, hot in west, July 27, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image The North Pacific Ocean continues to run hot and cold, with abnormally low sea levels and cool waters in the northeastern Pacific contrasting with unusually high sea levels and warm waters in the northwestern Pacific. New imagery from the joint NASA and French space agency's TOPEX/Poseidon orbiting satellite, which celebrates its 7th launch anniversary next week, shows strongly contrasting ocean levels and temperatures on opposite sides of the north Pacific. This pattern was locked in more than four months ago, when a very strong, high-pressure system began to dominate northern Pacific atmospheric and ocean patterns. Present conditions will be slow to change, according to oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, and will influence climate over North America into the fall."The north Pacific, which drives U.S. climate, is still extremely out of balance, with warm waters in the west and cool waters in the east," Patzert said. "When we see these large contrasts in the ocean, the weather delivery system -- the jet stream coming out of the north Pacific -- will do very unusual things. Like the stock market, we have a very volatile situation brought on by the persistence of these ocean imbalances." The latest sea-surface height measurements, available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino/, reveal unusually cool water (shown in blue and purple) and lower sea levels (5 to 18 centimeters or 2 to 7 inches below normal) extending from the Gulf of Alaska along the coast of North America. The lower sea levels sweep south-southwest from Baja California, to merge with the remnants of La Niña. Cool, lower equatorial sea levels from La Niña remain weak, but are still evident along the equator. On the other side of the north Pacific, sea levels remain high (10 to 32 centimeters or 4 to 13 inches above normal) and temperatures are warm (shown in red and white). Normal sea levels appear in green. The data were collected on a 10-day data-gathering cycle taken July 18-27. Since its launch on August 10, 1992, TOPEX/Poseidon has performed nearly flawlessly, collecting information about the height of the sea's surface at an unprecedented accuracy of 4 centimeters (15 inches). Using this information, scientists from NASA and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales have been able to map and forecast the impact of the 1997-1998 El Niño and the La Niña that followed and continues to hang on."These highly accurate global measurements of the sea-surface height of our oceans have vastly improved our understanding of the oceans and how they exchange energy with Earth's atmosphere to alter the weather and climate," said Charles Yamarone, manager of JPL's Earth Science Flight Projects office. "The satellite has, in fact, produced the longest record of precision global ocean topography to date and given us a wealth of new information about ocean circulation.""Additionally, in the last seven years, we have seen many societal benefits, from TOPEX/Poseidon observations," Yamarone said. "Our data are being used to support a wide range of activities, including ship routing, cable laying, fisheries management and hurricane forecasting." Although La Niña appears to be waning, Patzert added, the ocean abnormality is probably not gone for good. "La Niña might be temporarily down, but she's definitely not out," he said. "What we are seeing from space in these wildly fluctuating sea levels and temperature variations is a continuing hangover from La Niña." The U.S./French TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Earth Sciences, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/ [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA02436
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña Conditions Likely to Prevail, October 10, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image A repeat of last year's mild La Niña conditions -- with a stormy winter in the Pacific Northwest and a dry winter in the southwestern United States -- will be the likely outcome of sea-surface heights observed by NASA's TOPEX/Poseidon satellite, scientists say. TOPEX/Poseidon has detected lower than normal sea-surface heights in the eastern North Pacific and unusually high sea-surface heights in the western and mid-latitude Pacific. The height of the sea surface over a given area is an indicator of ocean temperature and other factors that influence climate. The latest measurements, taken during a 10-day data cycle October 5-15, are available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino . Sea-surface height is shown relative to normal (green) and reveals cooler water (blue and purple) measuring about 14 centimeters (6 inches) lower in the eastern North Pacific, from the Gulf of Alaska to central Alaska, and along the equator. The cooling trend sets the stage for another La Niña this winter."A mirror image of that oceanic profile prevails in the western and mid-latitude Pacific Ocean, where higher than normal sea-surface heights (red and white) are currently about 20 centimeters or 8 inches. Unusually warm temperatures (shown in red and white) have persisted and topped last year's temperatures," said Dr. William Patzert, an oceanographer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA."These unbalanced conditions will undoubtedly exert a very strong influence on climate over North America this fall and winter," Patzert said. "Our profile of high sea-surface heights and warm temperatures in the western Pacific Ocean contrasts with low sea-surface heights and cool conditions in the eastern and equatorial Pacific. Those conditions will have a powerful impact on the weather system delivering jet streams out of the North Pacific." Conditions are ripe for a stormy, wet winter in the Pacific Northwest and a dry, relatively rainless winter in Southern California and the Southwest, the data show. "Clearly, these unusual conditions, which have persisted for 2 1/2 years, will not be returning to normal any time soon," Patzert said. "This climate imbalance is big and we're definitely going through a decade of wild climatic behavior. But when we look back at the climate record over the past century, we've seen behavior like this before." The TOPEX/Poseidon satellite's measurements have provided scientists with a detailed view of the 1997-1999 El Niño/La Niña climate pattern by measuring the changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA02448
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña Persistence May be Part of Larger Climate Pattern, January 8, 2000
Original Caption Released with Image . Sea-surface height is shown relative to normal (green) height and reveals cooler water (blue and purple) measuring between 8 and 24 centimeters (3 and 9 inches) lower than normal along the coast of Central and South America, and stretching out into the equatorial Pacific. The giant horseshoe of warmer water (red and white) dominating the western and mid-latitude Pacific has higher than normal sea-surface heights of between 8 and 24 centimeters (3 and 9 inches). For the past year, warmer waters have been expanding slowly and are now beginning to dominate the western and north Pacific. Although it is too early to definitively label these basin-wide conditions as a strong, multiple-year Pacific decadal oscillation, the current image suggests that simple labels or explanations such as a continuing La Niña/El Niño climate condition could be misleading, Patzert said. In the coming year, scientists using TOPEX/Poseidon data will continue to monitor the development of these conditions and their implications for climate in the next several years. The U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed JPL for the NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena., A giant horseshoe pattern of higher than normal sea-surface heights developing over the last year is beginning to dominate the entire western Pacific and Asiatic oceans, new imagery from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon satellite shows. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., studying the new data believe these abnormally warm ocean temperatures, which contrast with a cool La Niña, may be part of a larger, longer-lasting climate pattern. The latest data, taken December 30, 1999 through January 8, 2000, show that this slower-developing condition covers most of the Pacific Ocean and has significant implications for global climate change, especially over North America, said Dr. William Patzert, an oceanographer at JPL."In contrast with the more spectacular but shorter duration El Niño and La Niña events, this multiple-year trend may be part of a decade-long pattern known as the Pacific decadal oscillation," Patzert said. "The persistence of these abnormally high and low Pacific sea-surface patterns, along with warmer and colder than average ocean temperatures, tells us there is much more than an isolated La Niña occurring in the Pacific Ocean." Satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration clearly illustrate the pattern. Sea-surface temperatures, which directly affect the atmosphere on a daily basis, are available at http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climo.html [ http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climo.html ] , and show the same warm and cool water patterns."These warmer and cooler than normal sea-surface temperatures influence our atmosphere every day, while sea-surface heights are a measure of how much heat is stored in the ocean below," Patzert said. "When you put these two pieces of the climate puzzle together, they will tell us both about what is influencing today's weather and how much heat is being stored in the ocean to fuel future planetary climate events." The Pacific decadal oscillation waxes and wanes approximately every 20 to 30 years, alternating between its present phase, with a warm horseshoe pattern of higher than normal sea-surface heights connecting the north, west and southern Pacific, in contrast to a cool wedge of lower than normal sea-surface heights in the eastern equatorial Pacific. After that the Pacific switches to the opposite phase, showing a reversal of the warm and cool regions, the horseshoe becomes cool and the wedge warms. The strength of this climate trend is seen in the current TOPEX/Poseidon satellite image, available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino ]
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Mild L …
PIA02437
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - Mild La Niña Conditions Developing, November 12, 1999
Original Caption Released with Image Unusually warm ocean temperatures off Asia and cool waters in the eastern and equatorial Pacific are signaling La Niña's mild return, according to the latest sea-surface heights observed by the joint NASA-French space agency's TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. Lower than normal sea-surface heights in the eastern North Pacific and abnormally high sea-surface heights in the western and mid-latitude Pacific are expected to drive storms coming out of the Pacific this winter, the mission data indicate. Those conditions will most likely steer storms north into the Pacific Northwest and keep the southwestern United States dryer than normal. The latest measurements, processed after a 10-day data cycle November 4-13 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, are available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/elnino . Sea-surface height is shown relative to normal (green) and reveals cooler water(blue and purple) measuring between 8 and 24 centimeters (3 to 9 inches) lower than average in the eastern North Pacific, from the Gulf of Alaska to central Alaska, and along the equator. Unusual conditions persist in the western and mid-latitude Pacific Ocean as well, with higher than average sea-surface heights(red and white) of between 8 and 24 centimeters (3 to 9 inches). These areas of increased sea-surface height and unusually warm water were present last year, but the increase in height has surpassed last year's measurements. The TOPEX/Poseidon satellite's measurements over the last seven and a half years have provided scientists with a comprehensive record of the 1997-1999 El Niño/La Niña climate pattern by measuring changing sea-surface heights to within 4centimeters (1.5 inches) precision. The U.S./French mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Earth Sciences Enterprise, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project web page at http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niñ …
PIA02460
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title TOPEX/El Niño Watch - La Niña Still a "cool" Problem Child, March 23, 2000
Original Caption Released with Image These TOPEX/Poseidon data, collected over the latest 10-day sampling cycle, March 1 to 11, 2000, show the La Niña condition still exists. The image of sea surface heights reflects unusual patterns of heat storage in the ocean. Sea-surface height is shown relative to normal height (green). The cooler water (blue and purple) measures between 8 and 24 centimeters (3 and 9 inches) lower than normal. The giant horseshoe of warmer water (red and white) continues to dominate the western Pacific with higher than normal sea-surface heights between 8 and 24 centimeters (3 and 9 inches). This view of the oceans from TOPEX/Poseidon is an input to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) seasonal forecasts. The impacts of current ocean conditions in the Pacific for spring in the U.S., according to Dr. Ants Leetmaa, director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, imply drier than normal conditions for much of the southern half of the U.S. Leetmaa says the conditions also indicate above-normal rainfall in the Pacific northwest, and a warmer than normal U.S., except for the west coast where spring conditions will be near normal. Scientists continue to debate whether this image hints at the presence of a large, longer lasting climate pattern, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. This long-term pattern that covers most of the Pacific Ocean has significant implications for global climate, especially over North America. The U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission is managed JPL for the NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
A Mostly Quiet Pacific
PIA04878
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title A Mostly Quiet Pacific
Original Caption Released with Image Some climate forecast models indicate there is an above average chance that there could be a weak to borderline El Niño by the end of November 2003. However, the trade winds, blowing from east to west across the equatorial Pacific Ocean, remain strong. Thus, there remains some uncertainty among climate scientists as to whether the warm temperature anomaly will form again this year. The latest remote sensing data from NASA's Jason satellite show near normal conditions across the equatorial Pacific. There are currently no visible signs in sea surface height of an impending El Niño. This equatorial quiet contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and U.S. West Coast where lower-than-normal sea surface levels and cool ocean temperatures continue (indicated by blue and purple areas). The image above is a global map of sea surface height, accurate to within 30 millimeters. The image represents data collected and composited over a 10-day period, ending on Nov. 3, 2003. The height of the water relates to the temperature of the water. As the ocean warms, its level rises, and as it cools, its level falls. Yellow and red areas indicate where the waters are relatively warmer and have expanded above sea level, green indicates near normal sea level, and blue and purple areas show where the waters are relatively colder and the surface is lower than sea level. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, whereas the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beam microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. (For more details, visit the Jason Website [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/ ].)
Pacific Decadal Oscillation
PIA03460
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Original Caption Released with Image Like fall and winter of 2000, this year's Topex/Poseidon satellite data shows that the Pacific ocean continues to be dominated by the strong Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which is larger than the El Niño/La Niña pattern. The data, taken during a ten-day collection cycle ending Oct. 29,2001, show that the near-equatorial ocean has been very quiet in the past year, and sea levels and sea surface temperatures are near normal. Above-normal sea surface heights and warmer ocean temperatures, indicated by the red and white areas, still blanket the far western tropical Pacific and much of the north mid-Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4inches) above normal, white areas show the sea surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal. In the western Pacific, the buildup of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation pattern, first noted by Topex/Poseidon oceanographers more than three years ago, has outlasted both the El Niño and La Niña of the past few years. This warmth contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and the west coast of the United States, where lower than normal sea surface levels and cool ocean temperatures continue, as indicated by the blue areas. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, while the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. According to oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., the striking similarity between data taken in 2000 and the same time period in 2001 indicates that winter weather forecasts for this year will be similar to last year. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see the Topex/Poseidon Web Site [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].
Where is La Niña?
PIA04622
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Where is La Niña?
Original Caption Released with Image Since the weak El Niño event of last winter, the equatorial Pacific has cooled and oceanographers have been on a La Niña "watch." Thus far, equatorial waters have seesawed between cooling and the present slight warming. Elsewhere, the northern and northeastern Pacific Ocean remains quite cool and sea levels are much lower than normal. These cooler ocean waters off the U.S. West Coast have driven a cooler and foggier spring and early summer along the coast, and guided the North Pacific Jet Stream north, keeping the West and Southwest in the grip of a 5-year drought. Sea-surface heights are a measure of how much heat is stored in the ocean below to influence future planetary climate events. Jason scientists will continue to monitor the Pacific closely for further signs of La Niña formation and intensity, or not. These Jason data were taken during a 10-day collection cycle ending July 3, 2003. The near-equatorial ocean has been very quiet, although sea levels and sea-surface temperatures are near normal or slightly warmer throughout the far western and central equatorial Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal, white areas show the sea-surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal. This slight rise in sea levels (warming) contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and U.S. West Coast, where lower-than-normal sea-surface levels (blue areas) and cool ocean temperatures continue. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, and the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].
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