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Autumn Fires in China and Ru
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| Title |
Autumn Fires in China and Russia |
| Description |
A river of smoke more than 100 kilometers wide streams several hundred kilometers southward from fires (marked in red) in northern China (top left) in this image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite on October 15, 2004. Another large cluster of fires is burning in southeastern Russia (right). Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Autumn Fires in China and Ru
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| Title |
Autumn Fires in China and Russia |
| Description |
Deep red burn scars are spread across the autumn landscape of northeastern China and southeastern Russia in this image made from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Aqua satellite on October 17, 2004. The Amur River (called Heilong Jiang in Chinese) creates the boundary between the two nations, with China in the southwest portion of the scene, and Russia to the northeast. Numerous fires were burning at the time of the image, and have been marked with red dots. This image combines short-wave infrared energy detected by MODIS with visible light to make burned land stand out. Vegetation is in shades of green, burned area is deep reddish brown, smoke is light blue, snow on the mountains in the top right is bright blue, naturally bare soil is pinkish or light red, and water on the ground is dark blue. A MODIS image from October 20 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12542 ] showed that the fires had died down, but several new burned areas were apparent. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image in additional resolutions and MODIS band combinations. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2004291-1017/China.A2004291.0405 ] NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Floods in Southern China
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Floods in Southern China |
| Description |
Three days of heavy rain caused widespread flooding across China's Jiangxi Province in early June 2007. The floods destroyed about 2,000 houses, and caused an economic loss of approximately $13 million, reported Reuters. [ http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSPEK67549._CH_.2400 ] The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of flooding around Poyang Lake, a reservoir in northern Jiangxi, on June 6, 2007. Compared to conditions a few weeks earlier, on May 19 (lower image), the reservoir is swollen, and its shores have been pushed out by several kilometres. Both images were made with a combination of infrared and visible light, which makes water appear black or dark blue. Plant-covered land is bright green, bare earth is tan, and clouds are light blue and white. Similar images as well as photo-like images of southeast China [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China6/2007157 ] are available from the MODIS Rapid Response System on a daily basis. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Floods in Southern China
| Title |
Floods in Southern China |
| Description |
Three days of heavy rain caused widespread flooding across China's Jiangxi Province in early June 2007. The floods destroyed about 2,000 houses, and caused an economic loss of approximately $13 million, reported Reuters. [ http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSPEK67549._CH_.2400 ] The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of flooding around Poyang Lake, a reservoir in northern Jiangxi, on June 6, 2007. Compared to conditions a few weeks earlier, on May 19 (lower image), the reservoir is swollen, and its shores have been pushed out by several kilometres. Both images were made with a combination of infrared and visible light, which makes water appear black or dark blue. Plant-covered land is bright green, bare earth is tan, and clouds are light blue and white. Similar images as well as photo-like images of southeast China [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China6/2007157 ] are available from the MODIS Rapid Response System on a daily basis. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Gobi Desert Dust Storm
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Gobi Desert Dust Storm |
| Description |
A dust storm blew across the Gobi Desert on March 30, 2007. The same day, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image of the storm. This picture shows the storm's source points in Mongolia: the start of a very pale plume in the north, and the beginnings of thicker, slightly darker plumes in the south. All the plumes flare out as they sweep across the Gobi in a counter-clockwise direction toward China. Just south of the dust plumes, opaque white clouds follow a similar path. According to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research's Meteorology Education and Training program, the Gobi Desert ranks among the world's leading sources of dust storms, along with the Sahara, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Gobi Dust Storm
| Title |
Gobi Dust Storm |
| Description |
In early and mid-April 2006, waves of dust washed out of the Gobi Desert and spread across eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. According to news reports, a dust storm that hit South Korea [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13484 ] over the weekend of April 8 was the worst the country had seen in four years. This pair of images shows a massive wave of dust that blew out of deserts in north-central China on April 10, 2006. The top image, captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] on April 7, 2006, shows the landscape of north-central China, including two large, sandy deserts that are part of the Gobi Desert region. Just a few days later, an image from the MODIS sensor on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite shows that the area was completely hidden by a wave of bright dust that reached beyond the Yellow River. Gobi dust is whipped eastward with prevailing winds by spring storms and can spread all the way to the United States. The storms can be hazardous to public health both in terms of air quality and visibility. In addition, the dust storms can devastate croplands and contaminate sensitive electronic equipment. Dust storms in China are on the rise, probably as a result of land degradation, such as deforestation and overgrazing, and drought. The Chinese government has undertaken a large reforestation effort to combat the spread of deserts and to mitigate the effects of dust storms, particularly around urban areas such as Beijing. The large images above are provided at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China3 ] of this area of China in a variety of formats and resolutions. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Gobi Dust Storm
| Title |
Gobi Dust Storm |
| Description |
In early and mid-April 2006, waves of dust washed out of the Gobi Desert and spread across eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. According to news reports, a dust storm that hit South Korea [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13484 ] over the weekend of April 8 was the worst the country had seen in four years. This pair of images shows a massive wave of dust that blew out of deserts in north-central China on April 10, 2006. The top image, captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] on April 7, 2006, shows the landscape of north-central China, including two large, sandy deserts that are part of the Gobi Desert region. Just a few days later, an image from the MODIS sensor on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite shows that the area was completely hidden by a wave of bright dust that reached beyond the Yellow River. Gobi dust is whipped eastward with prevailing winds by spring storms and can spread all the way to the United States. The storms can be hazardous to public health both in terms of air quality and visibility. In addition, the dust storms can devastate croplands and contaminate sensitive electronic equipment. Dust storms in China are on the rise, probably as a result of land degradation, such as deforestation and overgrazing, and drought. The Chinese government has undertaken a large reforestation effort to combat the spread of deserts and to mitigate the effects of dust storms, particularly around urban areas such as Beijing. The large images above are provided at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China3 ] of this area of China in a variety of formats and resolutions. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Haze along the Himalaya Fron
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| Title |
Haze along the Himalaya Front Range |
| Description |
A film of haze hangs over northern India along the dark green curve of the Himalaya Mountains in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) image, taken on November 10, 2004, by NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. The haze is probably being caused by widespread agricultural fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12558 ] burning along the mountain front. The fires have been marked with small red dots. Urban pollution and industry may also have contributed to the pollution. This pattern of haze is common in India and Nepal because the southern air mass cannot pass over the barrier formed by the Himalaya. The mountains also seem to be blocking clouds from moving from China, top right, to India and Pakistan, lower left. China is cloudy, but the areas southwest of the mountains are mostly clear. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Haze mingled with clouds in the skies over eastern China on March 20, 2007. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, opaque white clouds and dingy gray haze obscure the view of the land surface while thick brown sediment clouds the shoreline of the Yellow Sea. At least some of the haze results from pollution as China rapidly industrializes. Ubiquitous settlements in China appear in this image as tiny beige dots in a sea of green vegetation, especially near the Yellow Sea. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Thick haze collected over the Beijing region in late March 2007. Earlier that month, the BBC News reported that an international team of scientists had documented how increasing pollution in China led to decreasing rainfall over the region. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite captured these images of the Beijing region on March 22, 2007. The top image is a "true-color" picture, similar to a digital photo. The bottom, "false-color," image uses a combination of visible and infrared light to more clearly show vegetation, water, and clouds. Even sparse vegetation appears bright green, while water appears deep blue (bright blue when tinged with sediment). Clouds dominated by water droplets appear white, while clouds made of ice crystals appear light blue. The false-color image highlights water bodies, perhaps aqua-culture ponds, that are all but invisible in the true-color image, especially along the shores of the Bo Hai. While vegetation and water show up more clearly in the false-color image, haze is much more transparent. Although dingy gray haze dominates the true-color picture, it is all but invisible in the false-color view. The haze "disappears" in the infrared-enhanced image because tiny haze particles do not reflect longer-wavelength infrared light very well, making this type of image useful for distinguishing haze from clouds. The bank of clouds in the upper right corner shows up clearly in both pictures. As China industrializes, factories, power plants, and automobiles all contribute to pollution in the region. In examining pollutants and rainfall, the team of scientists examined records covering more than 50 years, concluding that pollution decreased precipitation at Mount Hua near Xi'an in central China. They concluded that when conditions are so hazy that visibility is reduced to less than 8 kilometers (5 miles), hilly precipitation can drop by 30 to 50 percent. When moist air passes over mountains, it usually cools and forms raindrops, but heavy pollutant concentrations cause the clouds to hang on to their moisture. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Thick haze collected over the Beijing region in late March 2007. Earlier that month, the BBC News reported that an international team of scientists had documented how increasing pollution in China led to decreasing rainfall over the region. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite captured these images of the Beijing region on March 22, 2007. The top image is a "true-color" picture, similar to a digital photo. The bottom, "false-color," image uses a combination of visible and infrared light to more clearly show vegetation, water, and clouds. Even sparse vegetation appears bright green, while water appears deep blue (bright blue when tinged with sediment). Clouds dominated by water droplets appear white, while clouds made of ice crystals appear light blue. The false-color image highlights water bodies, perhaps aqua-culture ponds, that are all but invisible in the true-color image, especially along the shores of the Bo Hai. While vegetation and water show up more clearly in the false-color image, haze is much more transparent. Although dingy gray haze dominates the true-color picture, it is all but invisible in the false-color view. The haze "disappears" in the infrared-enhanced image because tiny haze particles do not reflect longer-wavelength infrared light very well, making this type of image useful for distinguishing haze from clouds. The bank of clouds in the upper right corner shows up clearly in both pictures. As China industrializes, factories, power plants, and automobiles all contribute to pollution in the region. In examining pollutants and rainfall, the team of scientists examined records covering more than 50 years, concluding that pollution decreased precipitation at Mount Hua near Xi'an in central China. They concluded that when conditions are so hazy that visibility is reduced to less than 8 kilometers (5 miles), hilly precipitation can drop by 30 to 50 percent. When moist air passes over mountains, it usually cools and forms raindrops, but heavy pollutant concentrations cause the clouds to hang on to their moisture. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Thick haze collected over the Beijing region in late March 2007. Earlier that month, the BBC News reported that an international team of scientists had documented how increasing pollution in China led to decreasing rainfall over the region. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite captured these images of the Beijing region on March 22, 2007. The top image is a "true-color" picture, similar to a digital photo. The bottom, "false-color," image uses a combination of visible and infrared light to more clearly show vegetation, water, and clouds. Even sparse vegetation appears bright green, while water appears deep blue (bright blue when tinged with sediment). Clouds dominated by water droplets appear white, while clouds made of ice crystals appear light blue. The false-color image highlights water bodies, perhaps aqua-culture ponds, that are all but invisible in the true-color image, especially along the shores of the Bo Hai. While vegetation and water show up more clearly in the false-color image, haze is much more transparent. Although dingy gray haze dominates the true-color picture, it is all but invisible in the false-color view. The haze "disappears" in the infrared-enhanced image because tiny haze particles do not reflect longer-wavelength infrared light very well, making this type of image useful for distinguishing haze from clouds. The bank of clouds in the upper right corner shows up clearly in both pictures. As China industrializes, factories, power plants, and automobiles all contribute to pollution in the region. In examining pollutants and rainfall, the team of scientists examined records covering more than 50 years, concluding that pollution decreased precipitation at Mount Hua near Xi'an in central China. They concluded that when conditions are so hazy that visibility is reduced to less than 8 kilometers (5 miles), hilly precipitation can drop by 30 to 50 percent. When moist air passes over mountains, it usually cools and forms raindrops, but heavy pollutant concentrations cause the clouds to hang on to their moisture. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Just days after thick haze [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17591 ] collected over the Beijing region, more haze clouded the skies over Bo Hai, east of the capital city. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured these images of Bo Hai on March 26, 2007. The top image is a "true-color" picture, similar to a digital photo. The bottom image is a "false-color" picture that uses a combination of visible and infrared light to give a clearer picture of vegetation, water, and clouds. Besides clearly showing vegetation, water, and clouds, the false-color image, when paired with a true-color image, helps the viewer discern haze. In the top image, thick haze dominates the image, but the same haze barely appears in the bottom image. The pollutants comprising most of the haze have little water content, rendering them largely invisible in the false-color picture. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Just days after thick haze [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17591 ] collected over the Beijing region, more haze clouded the skies over Bo Hai, east of the capital city. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured these images of Bo Hai on March 26, 2007. The top image is a "true-color" picture, similar to a digital photo. The bottom image is a "false-color" picture that uses a combination of visible and infrared light to give a clearer picture of vegetation, water, and clouds. Besides clearly showing vegetation, water, and clouds, the false-color image, when paired with a true-color image, helps the viewer discern haze. In the top image, thick haze dominates the image, but the same haze barely appears in the bottom image. The pollutants comprising most of the haze have little water content, rendering them largely invisible in the false-color picture. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over China
| Title |
Haze over China |
| Description |
Just days after thick haze [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17591 ] collected over the Beijing region, more haze clouded the skies over Bo Hai, east of the capital city. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured these images of Bo Hai on March 26, 2007. The top image is a "true-color" picture, similar to a digital photo. The bottom image is a "false-color" picture that uses a combination of visible and infrared light to give a clearer picture of vegetation, water, and clouds. Besides clearly showing vegetation, water, and clouds, the false-color image, when paired with a true-color image, helps the viewer discern haze. In the top image, thick haze dominates the image, but the same haze barely appears in the bottom image. The pollutants comprising most of the haze have little water content, rendering them largely invisible in the false-color picture. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze Over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze Over Eastern China |
| Description |
A thick, gray blanket of haze hangs over eastern China in this image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite on February 19, 2004. The haze pools in the gullies and valleys of the mountain ranges along the left edge of the scene, and in many places, completely hides the coastal plain from view. Unfortunately for the residents of the region, such events are not rare, especially in winter, when people need to burn additional amounts of coal and wood. In this case, numerous fires burning in southeastern China may be contributing to the haze as well. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] at NASA GSFC |
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Haze Over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze Over Eastern China |
| Description |
Thick haze blurs the North China Plain, right, and snakes through the valley the Yellow River cuts through the Luliang Shan Mountains, left. In the north, the haze seems to dissipate near China's capital, Beijing, west of the Bo Hai, the bay off the Yellow Sea. In this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image captured on April 5, 2004, by the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, the haze clings near the ground, letting the peaks of the mountains peek through, while white clouds hover above. Such haze is common in Eastern China, particularly during the winter when people burn coal and wood for heat. The high-resolution image provided above is at MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
Another thick band of haze covered much of the low-lying coastal basin of eastern China on October 2, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. The smog extended from the Liaoning region in the northeast to Beijing in the west, and it stretched southwards past the coast bordering the Yellow Sea. Like the haze that covered the region on September 17, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13877 ] this smog kept to the coastal plain, away from the Taihang Shan Mountains in the west. Likewise, the haze strayed somewhat from the coast around the Yellow Sea. In this image, the relatively clear area along the coast provides a view of the underlying terrain. The tan dots indicate settlements in the otherwise vegetated plain. Among the world's most densely populated areas, China's Beijing region produces considerable urban and industrial smog. Some of the haze in this image may also result from agricultural fires. Weather patterns can sometimes play a role in trapping pollutants over the region. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
More haze collected over eastern China's coastal basin November 2, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. The smog extended from the Liaoning region in the northeast to Beijing in the west, and it thickened near the coast bordering the Yellow Sea. Like the haze that covered the region on September 17, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13877 ] this smog kept to the coastal plain, away from the Taihang Shan Mountains in the west. China's Beijing region is one of the world's most densely populated areas, and it produces substantial urban and industrial smog. Some of the haze in this image may also result from agricultural fires. Weather patterns (high-pressure systems) can sometimes play a role in trapping pollutants over the region. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
Haze clouded the skies over eastern China on November 28, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, dingy gray haze obscures the view of the land surface while thick brown sediment clouds the Yellow Sea and Bo Hai near the shore. As in an earlier [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13953 ] image of this region, the haze clings primarily to low-lying coastal areas, while leaving the skies relatively clear over the Taihang Shan Mountains in the west. Although the skies over the mountains are free of smog, they are filled with clouds. Opaque white clouds also mingle with the haze over the lower elevations and the water. One week before MODIS acquired this image, air pollution registered in the "hazardous" category of the China Environmental Monitoring Center's index, according to the Reuters news service. Likewise, Voice of America reported that in the first half of 2006, China's pollution increased, including a 2.4 percent increase in industrial wastewater, and a 4 percent increase in sulfur dioxide, which results from the burning of fossil fuels. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
Continuing the pattern from late November, haze collected over eastern China on December 3, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, gray haze hugs the low-lying coastal areas of eastern China, keeping away from the Taihang Shan Mountains in the west. One clear region in the lowlands is the area adjacent to the Yellow Sea. Fluffy white clouds fringe the region, perhaps related to a weather system contributing to trapping the haze. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
Dense haze completely obscured the North China Plain and the Bo Hai (a bay in the Yellow Sea) when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite flew over on December 20, 2006. The thick brown haze seen here is most common in winter, when coal is burned to provide heat. The haze covers the normally distinctive cities and crop lands and seeps into mountain valleys to the north. A few small clouds float over the brown soup, and low clouds or fog sit under the haze near Beijing. China's State Environmental Protection Administration [ http://english.sepa.gov.cn/ ] reported that the air over Beijing was lightly polluted, the fourth designation on a seven-point scale for air quality where "heavily polluted" is the highest designation. To see twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of eastern China, please visit the MODIS Rapid Response web site. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
One day after a thick plume of haze crept toward Beijing, much of eastern China was obscured on October 23, 2007. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite took this picture the same day, showing haze dense enough to completely block the view of the land surface below. As on the previous day, the haze largely avoided the Taihang Shan Mountains southwest of the capital city, although fingers of haze crept westward toward the peaks. Thick haze spread from Beijing southward, well past the coast of the Yellow Sea. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Korea
| Title |
Haze over Korea |
| Description |
On February 6, 2007, thick haze blew across the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula toward Japan. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the band of haze appears to narrow somewhat as it crosses over South Korea, then spreads out over the Sea of Japan. Skies over North Korea and the northern portion of the Sea of Japan are relatively clear. Opaque white clouds mix with the haze, especially over the Yellow Sea and Japan. Through the haze, thick brown sediment can be seen along China's coast. The haze appears particularly thick in southeastern China and western Japan. In part, the smoggier appearance results from the location of those areas along the edge of the swath that the satellite observed. At the swath edges, the MODIS sensor is looking through the atmosphere at an angle, creating a longer line of sight that enhances the appearance of haze. China's air pollution problems are function of its rapidly developing economy. With an energy infrastructure dominated by coal-burning power plants and a dramatic increase in private vehicle ownership over the past decade, the country has experienced a deterioration in air quality, a problem which spills over national boundaries. On February 8, 2007, the Worldwatch Institute issued a news release that China's parliament backed a plan to shut down many of the nation's smaller coal-fired power plants. According to World Watch magazine, small plants release 20 times as much smog-forming pollutants as larger plants. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Haze over Southern China
| Title |
Haze over Southern China |
| Description |
Haze collected over the Sichuan Basin in southern China on November 13, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, dingy gray haze, mixed with white clouds, obscures the view of the basin. The haze extends southward over Laos, Vietnam, and the Gulf of Tonkin. West of the basin, however, snow-capped brown mountains show through clear skies. China is rapidly industrializing, and industrial and urban smog often clogs the nation's skies. Some of the haze in this image may also result from agricultural fires. MODIS detects many of those fires as hotspots where surface temperatures are much greater than the surroundings. In this image, the hotspots are marked with tiny red dots. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images of northern [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China3 ] and southern [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China5 ] portions of this region. |
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Haze Shadows Winter Crops in
…
| Title |
Haze Shadows Winter Crops in China |
| Description |
For the most populous country in the world, maximizing agricultural production is a high priority. With nearly 1.3 billion people (United Nation estimates for 2001) to feed, China faces numerous challenges to food security, including rapid conversion of agricultural lands to development and severe water shortages. This pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Aqua satellite reveals another threat to agricultural productivity: regional haze. The top image shows a natural-color view of thick haze over the crop-growing areas north of the Yangtze River in eastern China on February 28, 2005. Similar to a digital photograph, the image shows how a blanket of air pollution shadows some of China's most important winter crop-growing regions so completely that the surface is hidden from the satellite?s view. The image on the bottom of the pair uses short-wave and near-infrared observations from MODIS to better reveal the landscape underneath the haze. Bright green winter crops, mostly wheat and (close to the Yangtze River) rice, stretch across the plain between the mountains to the west (left) and the Yellow Sea (right). Water is deep blue or brighter blue when sediment levels are high. In 1999, NASA-funded scientists announced the results [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/1999/19991206786.html ] of a study on how haze affects crop production in China. The scientists discovered that the year-round haze may be directly shielding sunlight from crops strongly enough to reduce productivity by 30 percent or more over as much as 70 percent of the country?s crops. The research suggests that China could reap agricultural as well as human health rewards by reducing air pollution. The large image provided has a spatial resolution of 1 kilometer per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] Image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Haze Shadows Winter Crops in
…
| Title |
Haze Shadows Winter Crops in China |
| Description |
For the most populous country in the world, maximizing agricultural production is a high priority. With nearly 1.3 billion people (United Nation estimates for 2001) to feed, China faces numerous challenges to food security, including rapid conversion of agricultural lands to development and severe water shortages. This pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Aqua satellite reveals another threat to agricultural productivity: regional haze. The top image shows a natural-color view of thick haze over the crop-growing areas north of the Yangtze River in eastern China on February 28, 2005. Similar to a digital photograph, the image shows how a blanket of air pollution shadows some of China's most important winter crop-growing regions so completely that the surface is hidden from the satellite?s view. The image on the bottom of the pair uses short-wave and near-infrared observations from MODIS to better reveal the landscape underneath the haze. Bright green winter crops, mostly wheat and (close to the Yangtze River) rice, stretch across the plain between the mountains to the west (left) and the Yellow Sea (right). Water is deep blue or brighter blue when sediment levels are high. In 1999, NASA-funded scientists announced the results [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/1999/19991206786.html ] of a study on how haze affects crop production in China. The scientists discovered that the year-round haze may be directly shielding sunlight from crops strongly enough to reduce productivity by 30 percent or more over as much as 70 percent of the country?s crops. The research suggests that China could reap agricultural as well as human health rewards by reducing air pollution. The large image provided has a spatial resolution of 1 kilometer per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] Image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Heat Wave in Pakistan
| Title |
Heat Wave in Pakistan |
| Description |
Six people died and dozens more fell ill as temperatures soared to 47 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) in central Pakistan on May 21 and 22, 2004. Land temperatures, as measured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, reflected the extreme air temperatures. Afternoon land temperatures are often higher than air temperatures because the land retains heat. In this MODIS image, taken on May 21, the land around the Indus River, the bright red line running from north to south through the center of the image, has reached 67 degrees Celsius (153 Fahrenheit). In the top right corner, the temperature gradient in the Himalaya Mountains might correlate with elevation, as the temperature climbs up the color scale from the frigid, snow-capped peaks (blue) to the hot valleys (red). The pattern is more distinct in the high-resolution image, which shows a larger region to the north, including Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, and China at 500 meters per pixel. The image is available in additional resolutions, including MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. NASA image courtesy Jacques Descloitres and Ana Pinheiro, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at GSFC |
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Drought in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Drought in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Southeast Asia?s rainy season came to an early end in October 2004, and since that time, little rain has fallen on the Indochina Peninsula and parts of southern China. The dry spell has launched the region into the worst drought it has seen in years, with wells and reservoirs drying, crops withering, and, for some, food shortages. The effects of the drought are clearly visible in this image, generated from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] and Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellites between February 18 and March 5, 2005. The image shows vegetation anomaly, a measure of plant density and health over a wide area. To determine the state of vegetation this year, the data are compared to the average of vegetation measurements collected during the same period in 2000 to 2004. Regions that are drier, where plants are less dense and healthy than normal, are brown, while areas with denser-than-average vegetation are green. In the latter half of February 2005, Southeast Asia was very dry, with plants showing clear signs of drought stress. Clouds, masked out in grey, covered much of southern China, central Vietnam, Laos, and parts of Thailand and Cambodia during this two-week period. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by the joint Global Agricultural Monitoring Project between NASA, USDA?s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and the University of Maryland. More data and information about this joint project is available at Satellite Information for Agricultural Monitoring [ http://tripwire.geog.umd.edu/usda/ ]. |
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Dust and Clouds over Eastern
…
| Title |
Dust and Clouds over Eastern China |
| Description |
Dust mixed with clouds over eastern China and the Korean Peninsula on March 31, 2007. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, tan dust and white clouds obscure the view of much of the land and water below. Clouds are especially thick in the east. Over Bo Hai, however, the dust is thin enough to allow a view of thick brown sediment near the coastline. The dust in this region likely resulted from a Gobi Desert dust storm [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14194 ] on March 30. A combination of dust and smoke from agricultural fires clouded the skies [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14199 ] over most of eastern Asia at the same time. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Dust and Haze Blow Across Ch
…
| Title |
Dust and Haze Blow Across China |
| Description |
Thick clouds of dust blow east from China's Gobi Desert through the mountains passes of the Luliang Shan and the Yellow River Valley and over the North China Plain in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) image. The image, acquired on March 28, 2005, by NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, captures one of the first yellow dust storms of 2005. Such storms are common in the spring, and can occasionally be powerful enough to carry dust across the Pacific Ocean into North America. In this case, haze from industry and fires burning in Southeast Asia may also be contributing to the opaque veil seen in this image. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC |
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Dust and Haze Blow Across Ch
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| Title |
Dust and Haze Blow Across China |
| Description |
Blowing desert dust adds to existing haze in the eastern basin of China. The grayish haze spread across most of the center of the image is likely a mixture of urban, industrial, and residential air pollution, possibily mingling with smoke from agricultural and other fires. Around Beijing, in the top center of the image, the haze includes a large, yellowish-tan plume of dust. Spring brings numerous dust storms to eastern China from the interior deserts, such as the Gobi Desert. According to regional news, this combination of air quality problems caused the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau to lower the air quality index to its most unhealthy level and to advise people to stay indoors until the air clears. This image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite on April 6, 2005. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. |
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Dust in Northern China
| Title |
Dust in Northern China |
| Description |
A late-spring dust storm skirted the China-Mongolia border on May 26, 2007. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust storm appears as a beige blur over a buff-colored landscape, and the plume remains close to but south of the border. You can download a 250-meter-resolution dust storm KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/May2007/mongolia_amo_2007146.kmz ] for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Dust Storm in China Spreads
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| Title |
Dust Storm in China Spreads to Sea of Japan |
| Description |
The prevailing westerly winds in the mid-latitudes often blow dust from deserts in China and Mongolia toward Japan. In this pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Terra and Aqua satellites, a dust storm ripples across the deserts of Inner Mongolia on April 14, 2005 (Aqua MODIS, top), and spreads out over the Sea of Japan to the east on April 15 (Terra MODIS, bottom). The high-resolution image provided above is 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides these images (April 14 [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2005104-0414/China.A2005104.0435 ]and April 15 [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2005105-0415/SeaofJapan.A2005105.0200 ]) at additional resolutions. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Dust Storm in China Spreads
…
| Title |
Dust Storm in China Spreads to Sea of Japan |
| Description |
The prevailing westerly winds in the mid-latitudes often blow dust from deserts in China and Mongolia toward Japan. In this pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Terra and Aqua satellites, a dust storm ripples across the deserts of Inner Mongolia on April 14, 2005 (Aqua MODIS, top), and spreads out over the Sea of Japan to the east on April 15 (Terra MODIS, bottom). The high-resolution image provided above is 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides these images (April 14 [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2005104-0414/China.A2005104.0435 ]and April 15 [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2005105-0415/SeaofJapan.A2005105.0200 ]) at additional resolutions. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Dust Storm in Taklimakan
| Title |
Dust Storm in Taklimakan |
| Description |
*Dust Storm in Taklimakan* Almost the entire expanse of the Taklimakan Desert, situated in northwest China, is covered by a massive dust storm in this true-color image acquired on March 10, 2004, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA?s Aqua satellite. The tan color of the dust provides some contrast with the much brighter, white clouds in this scene. The dust is being swept slightly westward. Image by Jesse Allen, NASA Earth Observatory, using data courtesy MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] |
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Dust storm in Taklimakan
| Title |
Dust storm in Taklimakan |
| Description |
The Taklimakan Desert in western China saw another dust storm on December 3, 2005. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust storm appears in pale beige, and sweeps toward the northeast. Clouds hover to the northwest and southwest. The Tien Shan Mountains are to the north, and Kunlun Mountains to the south. Dust storms in China have increased in the last 15 years. Since 1990, the region has seen a major dust storm almost every year. These dust storms pose visibility hazards and cause respiratory ailments. NASA image courtesy of Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Dust Storm in Taklimakan Des
…
| Title |
Dust Storm in Taklimakan Desert |
| Description |
On January 30, 2005, dust filled the bowl of the Taklimakan Desert in western China. The low-lying basin is ringed by towering mountains to the north and south, these mountains steal almost all the precipitation passing through the region, leaving the Taklimakan bone dry. Dust storms, shifting sand dunes, and desert expansion are serious concerns for the people living in the area. This pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Aqua satellite shows the desert brewing with dust (top) as well as on a clear day in November 2002. The high-resolution image provided above is the January 30 image at a spatial resolution of 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides the January 30 and November 2 images at additional resolutions. Image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Dust Storm in Taklimakan Des
…
| Title |
Dust Storm in Taklimakan Desert |
| Description |
On February 28, 2007, a dust storm bearing hurricane-force winds struck China's far west. According to CNN, the storm derailed a train, causing four casualties. The train had just left a station in Turpan when high winds first cracked windows then blew cars off the tracks. This image shows a combination of dust and clouds over western China, captured on February 28, 2007, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite. The pale tan hue characteristic of dust storms appears over the Taklimakan Desert, just south of the Tian Shan (also Tien Shan) Mountains, and also a few hundred kilometers to the east. Although cloud cover partially blocks the view, this appears to be a continuous plume of dust blowing eastward. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Dust Storm in the Russian Fa
…
| Title |
Dust Storm in the Russian Far East |
| Description |
A dust plume hovered over the border between Russia's Far East and China on April 30, 2007. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust plume appears as a tan blob over the border between Russia and China. The dust plume likely originated in the arid west, perhaps in Mongolia. The dust particles enjoy plenty of company as they cloud the skies over eastern Asia. Surrounding the dust are not only white clouds but also dingy gray haze, likely resulting from fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14238 ] in the region. Just east of the dust plume are three distinct fingers of smoke that blow toward the northwest in a counterclockwise direction. The high-resolution image shows a burn scar (dark brown areas) at the southeastern base of these smoke plumes. South of the dust plume, the haze may result from pollution. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Dust Storm in the Taklimakan
…
| Title |
Dust Storm in the Taklimakan Desert |
| Description |
Plumes of dust were being pulled from the Tian Shan Mountains and across the Taklimakan Desert basin in western China on March 26, 2004, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image. The image is unusual in that it shows the very beginnings of a dust storm. Typically, the basin fills with dust so that the source of the storm can't be identified. Here, the dust has only just blown from its source on or near the mountains, image left, and is moving east. The dust seldom leaves the basin, but instead is contained in the bowl formed by the Tian Shan Mountains on the north and the west, and the Kunlun Shan and the Altun Shan on the south and the east. The high resolution image provided above is at MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The image is available in additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2004086-0326/Taklimakan.A2004086.0750 ]. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm in the Taklimakan
…
| Title |
Dust Storm in the Taklimakan Desert |
| Description |
A large dust storm struck China's Taklimakan Desert in early December 2005. Big, dry, hot, and about as far from the ocean as anyplace on Earth, the Taklimakan Desert provides plenty of material for dust storms. Such storms have been on the rise in the region, posing a health hazard for China's people. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, took this picture on December 3, 2005. In this image, the dust storm appears in pale beige, and sweeps toward the northeast. Clouds hover to the northwest and southwest, and mountains fringe the sandy basin where the dust storm originated. The Taklimakan Desert occupies the Tarim Basin between the Tien Shan Mountains in the north, and Kunlun Mountains in the south. The lowest point of this basin is about 150 meters below sea level, and because the area has no drainage, a great deal of salt has collected in the basin. The mountains to the north block cold air from the Arctic, and the location's distance from the ocean eliminates monsoon-related precipitation, so the area remains warm and dry. This desert is one of the largest shifting-sand deserts on Earth, and it supports very little vegetation. Dust storms from this region can spread all over the world, turning up in places as far away as Greenland. Closer to home, the dust poses risks to the Chinese. As reported in the scientific magazine Nature, between AD 300 and 1949, northwestern China witnessed a major dust storm on average every 31 years. Since 1990, the same region has seen a major dust storm almost every year. Besides posing visibility hazards, these storms cause respiratory illness. The storms have become more common at the same time that roughly 75 percent of China's urban population lives below the country's air-quality standard. In some areas China is taking aggressive steps to combat people's exposure to dust, including the investment of several billion dollars in a reforestation effort in the terrain around the outskirts of Beijing. NASA image courtesy of Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Dust Storm in the Tengger De
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| Title |
Dust Storm in the Tengger Desert |
| Description |
A dust storm swept through the Tengger Desert in north-central China on February 12, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust storm appears as a pale beige swath spreading from the southeast toward the northwest. The Tengger Desert is an inland drainage basin far from any ocean. It sees little precipitation, but it does see extreme temperature variations throughout the year—common ingredients for dust storms. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm over East China
| Title |
Dust Storm over East China |
| Description |
Strong winds originating out of China?s Mu Us Desert sent thick plumes of dust billowing eastward over and through passes in the Luliang Mountains on December 6, 2004. The true-color image above was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA?s Aqua satellite. The MODIS instrument aboard Terra captured an image of this same event several hours earlier. [ http://eobadmin.gsfc.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12607 ] The high resolution image available above is 500 meters per pixel. Copies of this scene are also available at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?AERONET_Beijing ] NASA image courtesy MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Dust Storm over East China
| Title |
Dust Storm over East China |
| Description |
Strong winds originating out of China?s Mu Us Desert sent thick plumes of dust billowing eastward over and through passes in the Luliang Mountains on December 6, 2004. The true-color image above was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA?s Terra satellite. You will notice there is a line of discontinuity running diagonally from top to bottom just right of center in this image. This discontinuity is due to fact that parts of two adjacent swaths, acquired about 100 minutes apart, were stitched together from consecutive overpasses of the Terra satellite in order to make the one image you see here. The MODIS sensor aboard the Aqua satellite captured an image of this same event several hours later. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12608 ] The high resolution image available above is 500 meters per pixel. Copies of this scene are also available at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?AERONET_Beijing ] NASA image courtesy MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
| Title |
Dust Storm over Eastern China |
| Description |
According to Chinese news reports, a dust storm had been predicted for northern and central China between March 9 and March 12, 2006, and the prediction proved correct. On March 10, a dust storm struck the region of Beijing. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on March 10, 2006. In this mage, dust mingles with clouds over northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula. The dust cloud appears as a pale tan, slightly lighter than the underlying landscape. Dust clouds obscure the view of the city of Beijing. According to Reuters News Service, the dust resulted in a rare phenomenon in South Korea: yellow snow. Snow laced with dust can pose a health hazard, and the Korean weather bureau issued a dust warning. In northeastern China and Mongolia, the storm posed the usual hazards to respiratory tracts and eyes. The Gobi Desert was the likely source of at least some of this dust. Dust storms are far from rare in the Gobi Desert in March. Dust storms in March and April can actually exceed the number of storms for all other months combined. This storm resulted from cold air from Siberia combined with low pressure from Mongolia. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
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| Title |
Dust Storm over Eastern China |
| Description |
Another dust storm moved across eastern China on March 27, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, tan dust (in image center), white clouds, and grayish smog mix in the atmosphere over northeastern China. At least some of the dust might have originated in the Gobi Desert as Gobi dust storms are common in March. Dust storms in March and April can actually exceed the number of storms for all other months combined for that region. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
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| Title |
Dust Storm over Eastern China |
| Description |
Another plume of dust passed over China on April 22, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust plume appears as a band of tan that arcs across the scene from lower left toward the center right. South of the dust plume is a bank of clouds. Some of the grayish material north of the plume could be pollution. NASA image courtesy MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The team offers daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Dust Storm over the Gobi Des
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| Title |
Dust Storm over the Gobi Desert |
| Description |
A dust storm, several hundred kilometers in diameter, moved through the Gobi Desert on May 30, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the pale beige dust swirls in a clockwise direction, around a hub of fluffy white clouds. In 2005, a Nature paper examined China's changing environment. Partly exacerbated by human actions such as overgrazing and land degradation, dust storms began to increase in the 20th century. Between AD 300 and 1949, northwestern China saw a dust storm on average every 31 years. After 1990, the average jumped to one such storm per year. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm over the Taklimak
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| Title |
Dust Storm over the Taklimakan Desert |
| Description |
On May 10, 2007, a dust storm covered most of the Taklimakan Desert in western China. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured an image of the storm at 05:50 UTC. The storm had intensified by the time the MODIS sensor on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took another picture at 07:30 UTC. In both of these images, the dust appears as a beige blur over the landscape, thickest in the west. In the later image, the dust is even more concentrated at the western edge of the desert—lighter in color and larger. Lying in the Tarim Basin, between the Tien Shan Mountains to the north and Kunlun Mountains to the south, the Taklimakan Desert is home to one of Earth's largest shifting-sand deserts. The basin's lowest point is roughly 150 meters (490 feet) below sea level, and salt collects in the basin due to lack of drainage. Because of its aridity and abundant sand, this desert produces many of Asia's dust storms. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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