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SeaWinds Tracks Giant Iceber
…
The giant B10A iceberg, near
…
9/3/99
| Date |
9/3/99 |
| Description |
The giant B10A iceberg, nearly as large as Rhode Island, is seen in this SeaWinds image as a small white dot in the upper left (approximately 10 o'clock position) between the tip of South America and the large circular continent of Antarctica. SeaWinds, launched on the QuikScat satellite in June 1999, is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. |
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Sea Surface Wind Anomalies i
…
| Title |
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies in the North Atlantic |
| Abstract |
Sea surface wind anomalies (based on QuikSCAT data) from 31 December 2002 illustrate the wind patterns that exist during a North Atlantic Oscillation. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies i
…
| Title |
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies in the North Atlantic |
| Abstract |
Sea surface wind anomalies (based on QuikSCAT data) from 31 December 2002 illustrate the wind patterns that exist during a North Atlantic Oscillation. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies
| Title |
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies |
| Abstract |
Sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies
| Title |
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies |
| Abstract |
Sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies (
…
| Title |
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies (with dates) |
| Abstract |
Sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Wind Vectors for Hurricane E
…
| Title |
Wind Vectors for Hurricane Erin (WMS) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows wind vectors for Hurricane Erin on September 10, 2001. Wind direction and speed are represented by the direction and speed of moving arrows, respectively. This animation represents a single measurement taken by the SeaWinds instrument on the QuikSCAT satellite, taken at 14:27:00 UTC on September 10, 2001. The WMS version of this animation which is available through the SVS Image Server (http://aes.gsfc.nasa.gov) presents this animation with a different timestamp for each frame in order to more easily present the images as an animation. It should be noted that each frame really has a time stamp of 2001-09-10 14:27:00 UTC. |
| Completed |
2004-02-11 |
|
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomali
…
| Title |
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomalies |
| Abstract |
Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's Aqua and QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomali
…
| Title |
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomalies |
| Abstract |
Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's Aqua and QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomali
…
| Title |
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomalies |
| Abstract |
Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's Aqua and QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Anatomy of Hurricane Isabel
| Title |
Anatomy of Hurricane Isabel |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows several data sets from Hurricane Isabel. Sea surface temperature (SST) as seen by Aqua/AMSRE is represented by the colors in the ocean. Red and yellow are waters above 82 degrees Farenheight which is favorable for hurricane formation. Sea surface winds as seen by QuikSCAT are represented by the arrows over the SSTs. Internal rain structure as seen by TRMM/PR is represented by the semi-transparent surfaces close to the ocean surface. Isabel's wam hurricane core as seen by GOES/AMSU is represented by the ellipsoid shapes above the rain structure. This visualizaiton was intended as a proof of concept, but has been released due to it's popularity. |
| Completed |
2005-09-14 |
|
Anatomy of Hurricane Isabel
| Title |
Anatomy of Hurricane Isabel |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows several data sets from Hurricane Isabel. Sea surface temperature (SST) as seen by Aqua/AMSRE is represented by the colors in the ocean. Red and yellow are waters above 82 degrees Farenheight which is favorable for hurricane formation. Sea surface winds as seen by QuikSCAT are represented by the arrows over the SSTs. Internal rain structure as seen by TRMM/PR is represented by the semi-transparent surfaces close to the ocean surface. Isabel's wam hurricane core as seen by GOES/AMSU is represented by the ellipsoid shapes above the rain structure. This visualizaiton was intended as a proof of concept, but has been released due to it's popularity. |
| Completed |
2005-09-14 |
|
Recipe of a Hurricane (Part
…
| Title |
Recipe of a Hurricane (Part 2) -- Wind Vectors (match rendered) |
| Abstract |
This visualization was created in support of the 'Recipe for a Hurricane' live shot campaign. This is a visualization of Hurricane Erin on September 10, 2001. The visualization shows moving wind vectors from NASA's QuikSCAT spacecraft. This visualization was match-frame rendered (with alpha channel) to two other visualizations (winds and isosurfaces) and was intended to be shown edited together. |
| Completed |
2003-09-26 |
|
QuikSCAT Antarctic Sea Ice (
…
| Title |
QuikSCAT Antarctic Sea Ice (WMS) |
| Abstract |
The sea ice around Antarctica grows dramatically from late February, when large parts of the coast are ice-free, to October, when the amount of sea ice effectively doubles the size of the continent. The SeaWinds Scatterometer instrument on the QuikSCAT satellite captures this dramatic ebb and flow and shows the sea ice as dynamic and always moving, even in areas that are ice-bound. This animation shows the sea ice around Antarctica from SeaWinds during 2004. SeaWinds can see individual icebergs if they are large enough, and a large iceberg can be seen for most of the year south of South America as it moves from the Antarctic Peninsula to the South Sandwich Islands. Also visible are the very convoluted and dynamic border between the sea ice and the open sea and holes in the sea ice created by the movement around fixed land features such as islands. |
| Completed |
2005-03-28 |
|
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies i
…
| Title |
Sea Surface Wind Anomalies in North Atlantic (with date) |
| Abstract |
Sea surface wind anomalies (based on QuikSCAT data) from 31 December 2003 illustrate the wind patterns that exist during a North Atlantic Oscillation. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomali
…
| Title |
SST Anomalies + Wind Anomalies (with dates) |
| Abstract |
Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and sea surface wind anomalies show the development of the 2002/2003 El Nino based on data from NASA's Aqua and QuikSCAT spacecraft. The wind data has been processed using the Variational Analysis Method (VAM). |
| Completed |
2003-02-03 |
|
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits
…
| Title |
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits 'Split Personality' |
| Abstract |
The central equatorial Pacific Ocean warmed by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August 2004, which can indicate development of a weak to moderate El Nino. Yet in other locations, important signals have been absent, suggesting the climate pattern may be of two minds. NASA satellites show warm water anomalies concentrated in the central Pacific Ocean in August. By September, the anomalies are weaker. The SeaWinds instrument on NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) satellite has shown stronger than normal trade winds for this time of year on the eastern side of the Pacific basin. Since the 1997 to 1998 El Nino, these trade winds have exhibited a kind of 'split personality' condition during times when the central equatorial Pacific warmed. |
| Completed |
2004-10-07 |
|
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits
…
| Title |
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits 'Split Personality' |
| Abstract |
The central equatorial Pacific Ocean warmed by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August 2004, which can indicate development of a weak to moderate El Nino. Yet in other locations, important signals have been absent, suggesting the climate pattern may be of two minds. NASA satellites show warm water anomalies concentrated in the central Pacific Ocean in August. By September, the anomalies are weaker. The SeaWinds instrument on NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) satellite has shown stronger than normal trade winds for this time of year on the eastern side of the Pacific basin. Since the 1997 to 1998 El Nino, these trade winds have exhibited a kind of 'split personality' condition during times when the central equatorial Pacific warmed. |
| Completed |
2004-10-07 |
|
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits
…
| Title |
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits 'Split Personality' |
| Abstract |
The central equatorial Pacific Ocean warmed by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August 2004, which can indicate development of a weak to moderate El Nino. Yet in other locations, important signals have been absent, suggesting the climate pattern may be of two minds. NASA satellites show warm water anomalies concentrated in the central Pacific Ocean in August. By September, the anomalies are weaker. The SeaWinds instrument on NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) satellite has shown stronger than normal trade winds for this time of year on the eastern side of the Pacific basin. Since the 1997 to 1998 El Nino, these trade winds have exhibited a kind of 'split personality' condition during times when the central equatorial Pacific warmed. |
| Completed |
2004-10-07 |
|
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits
…
| Title |
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits 'Split Personality' |
| Abstract |
The central equatorial Pacific Ocean warmed by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August 2004, which can indicate development of a weak to moderate El Nino. Yet in other locations, important signals have been absent, suggesting the climate pattern may be of two minds. NASA satellites show warm water anomalies concentrated in the central Pacific Ocean in August. By September, the anomalies are weaker. The SeaWinds instrument on NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) satellite has shown stronger than normal trade winds for this time of year on the eastern side of the Pacific basin. Since the 1997 to 1998 El Nino, these trade winds have exhibited a kind of 'split personality' condition during times when the central equatorial Pacific warmed. |
| Completed |
2004-10-07 |
|
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits
…
| Title |
Indecisive El Nino Exhibits 'Split Personality' |
| Abstract |
The central equatorial Pacific Ocean warmed by about one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August 2004, which can indicate development of a weak to moderate El Nino. Yet in other locations, important signals have been absent, suggesting the climate pattern may be of two minds. NASA satellites show warm water anomalies concentrated in the central Pacific Ocean in August. By September, the anomalies are weaker. The SeaWinds instrument on NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) satellite has shown stronger than normal trade winds for this time of year on the eastern side of the Pacific basin. Since the 1997 to 1998 El Nino, these trade winds have exhibited a kind of 'split personality' condition during times when the central equatorial Pacific warmed. |
| Completed |
2004-10-07 |
|
Cyclones in the Pacific
| Title |
Cyclones in the Pacific |
| Description |
This colorful image superimposes measurements of wind direction on top of wind speed. NASA's microwave scatterometer, QuickSCAT, collected the image on February 15, 2005, over the South Pacific where two large cyclones are moving steadily closer to one another in a potentially dangerous dance. It is very unusual for cyclones to be so close together in the South Pacific, and it's hard to predict how the storms will interact. One possibility is that the weaker storm will be tugged off course by the large-scale atmospheric circulation of the other. Eventually the weaker storm will seem to "orbit" the stronger storm. The second possibility is that the outflow from one storm will impede the outflow from the other storm, weakening the second storm. Regardless of the interaction, the storms pose a potentially deadly threat to American Samoa and the Cook Islands, which are shown as small grey dots. At the time this image was acquired, Olaf was a strengthening Category 4 cyclone, with steady winds of 135 knots and gusts up to 165 knots. Nancy was beginning to weaken with winds of 85 knots and gusts of 115 knots. The strongest winds, shown in pink, circle the center of the storms. Even without any sort of interaction, the two large storms could pack a dangerous one-two punch to the island nations of the South Pacific. NASA image courtesy Timothy Liu, Wendy Tang, and Xiaosu Xie, of the QuikSCAT Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Cyclones in the Pacific
| Title |
Cyclones in the Pacific |
| Description |
The SeaWinds scatterometer aboard NASA?s QuikSCAT satellite collected the data used to create this colorful image of Cyclone Olaf churing in the South Pacific on February 16, 2005. The colored background shows the near-surface wind speeds at 2.5-kilometer resolution. The strongest winds, shown in purple, are at the center of the storm, with gradually weakening winds forming rings around the center. The black barbs indicate wind speed and direction at QuikSCAT?s nominal, 25-kilometer resolution, white barbs indicate areas of heavy rain. NASA?s Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on June 19, 1999. QuikScat carries the SeaWinds scatterometer, a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over the Earth?s oceans. NASA image courtesy of the QuikSCAT Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Cyclones in the Pacific
| Title |
Cyclones in the Pacific |
| Description |
The SeaWinds scatterometer aboard NASA?s QuikSCAT satellite collected the data used to create this colorful image of Cyclone Olaf churing in the South Pacific on February 16, 2005. The colored background shows the near-surface wind speeds at 2.5-kilometer resolution. The strongest winds, shown in purple, are at the center of the storm, with gradually weakening winds forming rings around the center. The black barbs indicate wind speed and direction at QuikSCAT?s nominal, 25-kilometer resolution, white barbs indicate areas of heavy rain. NASA?s Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on June 19, 1999. QuikScat carries the SeaWinds scatterometer, a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over the Earth?s oceans. NASA image courtesy of the QuikSCAT Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Dean
| Title |
Hurricane Dean |
| Description |
Hurricane Dean was the first hurricane of the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The storm system formed off the coast of South America on August 13. It traveled west, building strength from the warm waters as it headed towards the South American coast and the southern arc of the Caribbean Islands. By August 17, it had grown in power to become a Category 3 hurricane, [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] and forecasters were calling for it to potentially gain yet more strength as it passed over the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. Dean was projected to cause major damage. Mexican authorities, according to news sources, were warning residents in the Yucatan Peninsula of the danger of the coming storm, which was projected to strike the peninsula. The storm might also brush against the islands of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Cuba among others. Some forecasters were concerned about the possibility of Dean developing into super storm in the Gulf of Mexico, where storm surge and waves as well as winds might pose significant dangers to the oil and gas platforms. This data visualization of the hurricane shows observations from the QuikSCAT satellite on August 16, 2007, at 6:55 p.m. local time (21:55 UTC). At this time, Dean was poised to cross the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, while grazing the coast of Venezuela on the South American mainland. Peak winds were around 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour, 85 knots) at this time, according to Unisys Weather's Hurricane information page, [ http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/ ] making Dean a Category 2 hurricane. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. QuikSCAT measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Dean and other tropical cyclones can be slower than actual wind speeds. QuikSCAT's scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction. To relate the radar signal to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to exact wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Hurricane Dean
| Title |
Hurricane Dean |
| Description |
Dean may have been the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2007 season, but days after first forming, it was also classified among the strongest hurricanes recorded. Dean became a Category 5 hurricane [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] before coming ashore on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on August 21. Dean began as a wave-like disturbance in the cloud bands off South America, which gathered together to form a storm system on August 13. Fueled by the deep warm waters of the Caribbean, Dean quickly grew into a major hurricane, reaching its peak just before coming ashore. As it traveled across the Caribbean, the storm also caused great damage to Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island, and other Caribbean islands. This data visualization of the hurricane shows observations from the QuikSCAT satellite on August 20, 2007, at 5:31 p.m. local time (23:31 UTC). At this time, Dean was in the Gulf of Mexico between Cuba, Jamaica, and the Central American peninsula heading towards the Yucatan Peninsula. Peak winds were around 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour, 135 knots) at this time, according to Unisys Weather's Hurricane information page. [ http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/ ] With these wind speeds, Dean just reached Category 5 status. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. The strongest winds on the north side of the eyewall are depicted in pink. Areas of heavy rain, shown with white barbs, correspond with stronger winds. QuikSCAT measurements of the wind strength of Dean and other tropical cyclones can be slower than actual wind speeds. QuikSCAT's scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction. To relate the radar signal to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to exact wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Hurricane Dean
| Title |
Hurricane Dean |
| Description |
QuikSCAT Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory., The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season had three named storms, but no hurricanes until the middle of August, when Tropical Storm Dean formed. By August 20, when the QuikSCAT satellite captured the data used to make this image, Dean was an extremely powerful Category 4 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] hurricane. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The center of the storm is dominated by purple, indicating high wind speeds. Pale pink circles the eye where winds were off the scale. Dark red and orange areas spread some distance from the eye: Dean was a large and powerful storm. Dean began as a wave-like disturbance in the cloud bands off South America, which gathered together to form a storm system on August 13. By August 18, Dean had grown in power to become a Category 4 hurricane, [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] swirling in the Caribbean Sea. The storm caused great damage to Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island, among other Caribbean islands, and as of August 19, it was forecast to come ashore on the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula not far from the border with Belize. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml? ] were also expecting the storm to continue to gather power to Category Five strength. When QuikSCAT measured the storm on August 20, 2007, at 8:04 a.m. local time (14:04 UTC), Dean was in the Gulf of Mexico between Cuba, Jamaica, and the Central American peninsula heading towards the Yucatan Peninsula. Peak winds were around 240 kilometers per hour (150 miles per hour, 130 knots) at this time, according to Unisys Weather's Hurricane information, [ http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/ ] making Dean a powerful Category Four hurricane. QuikSCAT measurements of the wind strength of Dean and other tropical cyclones can be slower than actual wind speeds. QuikSCAT's scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction. To relate the radar signal to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to exact wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the |
|
Hurricane Emily
| Title |
Hurricane Emily |
| Description |
Hurricane Emily is gradually building power in the southern Caribbean. This image shows the storm's swirling wind patterns as observed by NASA's QuickScat satellite on July 13, 2005. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, are on the trailing side of the developing hurricane spiral pattern. Measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Emily show sustained winds of around 80 knots and gusts up to 100 knots. The images, however, reveal lower wind speeds. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones, however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists don't have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 kilometers per hour or 58 miles per hour). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy the QuickScat Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
|
Hurricane Emily
| Title |
Hurricane Emily |
| Description |
When NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuickScat) captured this image on July 13, 2005, Emily was just a few hours away from becoming a hurricane. The tropical storm was approaching Trinidad with winds of 95 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour or 50 knots) when this image was taken at 5:05 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time (21:05 UTC). The image reveals the structure of the storm, with wind speed shown in color and direction indicated by barbs. The white barbs indicate regions of heavy rain. Both the heaviest downpours and the strongest winds, shown in purple, are just east of the center of the storm. Compared to an image taken in the morning of July 13, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12962 ] this powerful section of the storm has expanded and moved closer to the center as Emily developed through the day. Emily is the fifth tropical storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, and the second storm to reach hurricane status. By July 15, Emily reached Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale with winds of 205 km/hr (125 mph). NASA image courtesy the QuickScat Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Hurricane Frances
| Title |
Hurricane Frances |
| Description |
The SeaWinds scatterometer aboard NASA?s QuikSCAT satellite collected the data used to create this colorful image of hurricane Frances as it approached Cuba on September 1, 2004, at 6:09 p.m. EDT. The colored background shows the near-surface wind speeds at 2.5 km resolution. The strongest winds, shown in purple, are at the center of the storm, with gradually weakening winds forming rings around the center. The black barbs indicate wind speed and direction at QuikSCAT's nominal 25 km resolution, white barbs indicate areas of heavy rain. The black grid over the image show degrees of latitude and longitude. The vertical lines of longitude start at 77 West on the left and run to 65 on the right. The horizontal lines of latitude start at 18 North on the bottom and run to 27 North on top. NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov ]) spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on June 19, 1999. QuikScat carries the SeaWinds scatterometer, a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over the Earth's oceans. In recent years, the ability to detect and track severe storms has been dramatically enhanced by the advent of weather satellites. Data from the SeaWinds scatterometer is augmenting traditional satellite images of clouds by providing direct measurements of surface winds to compare with the observed cloud patterns in an effort to better determine a hurricane's location, direction, structure, and strength. Specifically, these wind data are helping meteorologists to more accurately identify the extent of gale-force winds associated with a storm, while supplying inputs to numerical models that provide advanced warning of high waves and flooding. NASA image courtesy the QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov ] team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Hurricane Henriette
| Title |
Hurricane Henriette |
| Description |
The 2007 eastern Pacific hurricane season had been relatively quiet when Hurricane Henriette formed in late August. Henriette was the first hurricane of the season to make landfall in that basin, skirting the Mexican coastline as it developed between August 30 and September 4, 2007. The National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ] predicted that the storm would come ashore over Baja California on September 4 as a strengthening Category 1 hurricane before traveling north through Mexico and into the United States. This data visualization of the storm shows observations from the QuikSCAT satellite on September 4, 2007, at 6:57 a.m, local time (12:57 UTC) just as Henriette was starting to come ashore on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. At this time, Henriette was a Category 1 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] hurricane with peak winds around 110 km/hr (65 mph, 65 knots), matching predictions from the National Hurricane Center. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. QuikSCAT measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Henriette and other tropical cyclones can be slower than actual wind speeds. QuikSCAT's scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction. To relate the radar signal to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to exact wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Hurricane Howard
| Title |
Hurricane Howard |
| Description |
The SeaWinds scatterometer aboard NASA?s QuikSCAT satellite collected the data used to create this multicolored image of hurricane Howard off the Southern Coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. This image taken on September 2nd at 4:25pm PDT, shows near-surface winds 10 meters above the ocean surface. The colored background shows the near-surface wind speeds at 2.5 km resolution, with the highest wind speeds, purple, in the center, and lower wind speeds around the outer edges of the storm. The black barbs indicate wind speed and direction at QuikSCAT's nominal 25 km resolution, white barbs indicate areas of heavy rain. The black grid marks out latitude and longitude. The vertical lines of longitude start at 120 West on the left and go to 109 West, with one line per degree. The horizontal lines of latitude start at 15 degrees North on the bottom and run to 27 degrees North, each line again indicating a single degree. NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov ]) spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on June 19, 1999. QuikScat carries the SeaWinds scatterometer, a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over the Earth's oceans. In recent years, the ability to detect and track severe storms has been dramatically enhanced by the advent of weather satellites. Data from the SeaWinds scatterometer is augmenting traditional satellite images of clouds by providing direct measurements of surface winds to compare with the observed cloud patterns in an effort to better determine a hurricane's location, direction, structure, and strength. Specifically, these wind data are helping meteorologists to more accurately identify the extent of gale-force winds associated with a storm, while supplying inputs to numerical models that provide advanced warning of high waves and flooding. NASA image courtesy the QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov ] team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
|
Hurricane Ivan
| Title |
Hurricane Ivan |
| Description |
With wind speeds topping 260 kilometers per hour (160 mph), Hurricane Ivan is roaring through the Caribbean as a deadly Category 5 storm. Early on September 9, 2004, the SeaWinds scatterometer aboard NASA's QuikSCAT satellite saw through Ivan's swirling clouds to measure wind speed 10 meters above the ocean surface. The result was this multi-colored image of the storm. Purple in the center of the storm shows the highest wind speeds, and green fringes around the outside of the storm show the lowest wind speeds. The black barbs indicate wind speed and direction at QuikSCAT's nominal 25 km resolution, white barbs indicate areas of heavy rain. Ivan strengthened after plowing over Grenada on Tuesday, September 7. The storm is forecast to move northwest over Jamaica and Cuba, then on to Florida. For more information, please visit the National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ]. NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov ]) spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on June 19, 1999. QuikScat carries the SeaWinds scatterometer, a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over the Earth's oceans. In recent years, the ability to detect and track severe storms has been dramatically enhanced by the advent of weather satellites. Data from the SeaWinds scatterometer is augmenting traditional satellite images of clouds by providing direct measurements of surface winds to compare with the observed cloud patterns in an effort to better determine a hurricane's location, direction, structure, and strength. Specifically, these wind data are helping meteorologists to more accurately identify the extent of gale-force winds associated with a storm, while supplying inputs to numerical models that provide advanced warning of high waves and flooding. NASA image courtesy the QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov ] team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Javier
| Title |
Hurricane Javier |
| Description |
The SeaWinds Scatterometer [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] aboard NASA's QuikSCAT satellite collected the data used to create this multicolored image of Hurricane Javier, currently nearly due south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ] predicts that this storm will make landfall on the western coast of Baja California sometime on September 18, 2004. This image, taken by QuikSCAT on September 16, at 6:13 p.m. PDT, shows near-surface winds 10 meters above the ocean surface. The colored background shows the near-surface wind speeds at 2.5 km resolution, with the highest wind speeds, purple, in the center, and lower wind speeds around the outer edges of the storm. The black barbs indicate wind speed and direction at QuikSCAT's nominal 25 km resolution, white barbs indicate areas of heavy rain. NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) spacecraft was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on June 19, 1999. QuikScat carries the SeaWinds scatterometer, a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind speed and direction under all weather and cloud conditions over the Earth's oceans. In recent years, the ability to detect and track severe storms has been dramatically enhanced by the advent of weather satellites. Data from the SeaWinds scatterometer is augmenting traditional satellite images of clouds by providing direct measurements of surface winds to compare with the observed cloud patterns in an effort to better determine a hurricane's location, direction, structure, and strength. Specifically, these wind data are helping meteorologists to more accurately identify the extent of gale-force winds associated with a storm, while supplying inputs to numerical models that provide advanced warning of high waves and flooding. NASA image courtesy of the QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm ] team at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Katrina
| Title |
Hurricane Katrina |
| Description |
Nearly the whole of the Gulf of Mexico was churning with the powerful winds and rains of Hurricane Katrina on August 28, 2005, when NASA's QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image. The image depicts relative wind speeds swirling around the calm center of the storm. The highest wind speeds, shown in shades of purple, circle a well-defined eye, with gradually weakening winds radiating outward. The barbs reveal wind direction, and the white barbs show heavy rainfall. At the time this image was taken, the National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ] reported that Katrina had winds of 160 miles per hour (257 kilometers per hour or 140 knots) with stronger gusts, and it was moving north-northwest at about 10 mph (16 km/hr). The storm weakened slightly before coming ashore, but was still a powerfully destructive storm. Why don't the wind speeds shown here match those reported by the National Hurricane Center? QuikSCAT measures near-surface wind speeds over the ocean based on how the winds affect the ocean. The satellite sends out high-frequency radio waves, some of which bounce off the ocean and return to the satellite. Rough, storm-tossed seas return more of the radio waves, creating a strong signal, while a mirror-smooth surface returns a weaker signal. To learn to match actual wind speeds with the type of signal that returns to the satellite, scientists compare wind measurements taken by ocean buoys to the strength of the signal received by the satellite. The more measurements scientists have, the more accurately they can correlate wind speed to the returning radar signal. Storms as large as Katrina are rare. This means that scientists have few buoy measurements to compare to the data they get from the satellite and can't match the satellite measurements to exact wind speeds. Instead, the image provides a clear picture of relative wind speeds, showing how large the strong center of the storm is and which direction winds are blowing. For official warnings and information about Hurricane Katrina, please visit the National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ]. To learn more about measuring winds from space, check out NASA's Winds [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm ] web site. NASA image courtesy the QuikSCAT Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
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Hurricane Katrina
| Title |
Hurricane Katrina |
| Description |
Tropical Storm Katrina is shown here as observed by NASA's QuikSCAT satellite on August 25, 2005, at 08:37 UTC (4:37 a.m. in Florida). At this time, the storm had 80-kilometer-per-hour (50 miles per hour, 43 knots) sustained winds. The storm does not appear to yet have reached hurricane strength. The greater danger may be not with her winds, but with Katrina's rains. The storm is moving slowly, just 13 km/hr (8 mph), and is expected to slow as it moves over land. This means that Katrina's heavy rains will linger longer over one area, dumping 15-25 centimeters (6-10 inches) of rain over Florida and the Bahamas and possibly up to 38 cm (15 inches) in some regions, the National Hurricane Center warns. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. Measurements of the wind strength of Tropical Storm Katrina show sustained winds similar to those shown by these QuikSCAT observations, though not identical. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons) and to a lesser extent, weaker storm systems like Katrina, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. For more information about the storm, please visit the National Hurricane Center [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ ]. NASA image courtesy the QuikSCAT Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
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Hurricane Maria
| Title |
Hurricane Maria |
| Description |
Hurricane Maria is shown here as observed by NASA's QuikSCAT satellite on September 6, 2005, at 09:00 UTC (4:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time). At this time, the hurricane had sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (105 miles per hour, 90 knots). The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. Measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Maria show sustained winds slightly higher than those shown by QuikSCAT observations. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons), however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy the QuikSCAT Science Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
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Hurricane Nate
| Title |
Hurricane Nate |
| Description |
Hurricane Nate is shown here as observed by NASA's QuikSCAT satellite on September 7, 2005, at 10:13 UTC (6:13 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time). At this time, the hurricane had sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (70 miles per hour, 60 knots). These winds did not make Nate strong enough to be classified as a hurricane, but the storm crossed the threshold to hurricane status only a few hours later. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. Measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Nate show sustained winds slightly higher than those shown by QuikSCAT observations. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons), however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Ophelia
| Title |
Hurricane Ophelia |
| Description |
NASA's QuikSCAT satellite captured this image of Hurricane Ophelia on September 11, 2005, at 5:47 a.m. local time. At this time, the hurricane had sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour, 70 knots). Ophelia has been an intriguing storm. It formed off the Florida coast (an unusual formation point for a tropical storm), gradually built power to hurricane status over the course of a few days, and then wound down in strength. After spending several days in roughly one location, Ophelia moved farther offshore, roughly parallel to the U.S. East Coast, and re-gathered strength to become the Category 1 hurricane by the time this image was taken. Forecast tracks for the storm are uncertain, but one conceivable storm track would take it ashore still at hurricane strength along the North Carolina Outer Banks shoreline. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. Measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Ophelia show sustained winds stronger than those shown by QuikSCAT observations. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons), however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Paul
| Title |
Hurricane Paul |
| Description |
As October drew to a close, Hurricane Paul was approaching the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. The sixteenth named Pacific storm of the 2006 season, Paul was whipping up sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour (105 miles per hour) at the time of the National Hurricane Center's 11:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time briefing on October 23. The storm track and intensity forecasts for Paul were still uncertain at that time, but landfall along the southern tip of Baja Peninsula as a strong storm was still a possibility. This data visualization of Hurricane Paul shows wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. The data were obtained by NASA's QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm ] satellite on October 23, 2006, at 01:46 UTC (8:46 a.m. local time). Paul appears to be symmetrically shaped in this image, with wind direction barbs showing that the center of the storm has a well-defined spiral pattern around the eye. The strongest winds form a bullseye pattern around the central, calmer region of the eye of the storm. Aircraft and buoy-based measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Paul would likely show sustained winds higher than those estimated from QuikSCAT observations. This difference is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements from satellite difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons), however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar signal the satellite measures to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm, as well as wind direction. These pieces of information can let meteorologists know where and when a storm’s center of circulation has developed. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Rita
| Title |
Hurricane Rita |
| Description |
Hurricane Rita is shown here as observed by NASA's QuikSCAT satellite on September 20, 2005, at 10:29 UTC (6:29 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time). At this time, the hurricane had 195-kilometer-per-hour (120 mile-per-hour, 105- knot) sustained winds. Within the next 24 hours, Rita would surge in power, packing winds near 280 km/hr (175 mph, 150 knots), reaching the very top of the hurricane-strength categories and becoming the fourth most powerful storm ever recorded. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. Measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Rita show sustained winds completely off the scale shown by QuikSCAT observations. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons), however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Sergio
| Title |
Hurricane Sergio |
| Description |
For the first time since 1961, two tropical storms formed in the month of November in the Eastern Pacific. The first was Tropical Storm Rosa. On November 13, 2006, Tropical Storm Sergio became the second tropical storm of the month. Sergio, unlike Rosa, continued to build in power to reach hurricane status, making it the tenth hurricane of the 2006 Eastern Pacific storm season. While the hurricane season officially runs until the end of November, late storms are unusual. Only five other storms on record have formed later in the season than Sergio. It is also unusual for tropical storms that form this late in the season to intensify all the way to hurricane strength as Sergio did. This data visualization shows Sergio while it was a Category 2 [ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshs.shtml ] hurricane, early in the morning of November 16. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs point to areas of heavy rain. The data were obtained by NASA's QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm ] satellite on November 16, 2006, at 12:29 UTC (5:29 a.m. local time). Sergio appears to have a well-defined and circular core, with a long apostrophe-shaped tail streaming out from the center. However, the wind-direction barbs do not spiral tightly around the center of the storm as they would in a strong hurricane. This asymmetry hints that wind shear may be pulling the storm apart. QuikSCAT employs a scatterometer, which sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. This technique does not work over land, and hence the lack of measurements over the mainland of Mexico shown here. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ], and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Wilma
| Title |
Hurricane Wilma |
| Description |
Tropical Storm Wilma is shown here as observed by NASA's QuikSCAT satellite on October 17, 2005, at 9:28 UTC (5:28 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time). At this time, the storm had 65-kilometer-per-hour (40-mile-per-hour, 35-knot) sustained winds. At the time of this observation, Wilma had only just become strong enough to be classified as a tropical storm and to acquire a name. Doing so, Wilma became the 21st named storm of the 2005 hurricane season. At the time of this image acquisition, Wilma was continuing to gradually build power and was projected to reach hurricane strength in the ensuing 24 hours, as winds steered the storm into the deep, warm water pool of the Gulf of Mexico. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs show to areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds surround the center of the storm where the developing spiral structure can be discerned. Measurements of the wind strength of Wilma from QuikSCAT may be slightly different from those measured by other means on the ground. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. However, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Hurricane Wilma
| Title |
Hurricane Wilma |
| Description |
Hurricane Wilma is shown here as observed by NASA's QuikSCAT satellite on October 18, 2005, at 23:31 UTC (7:31 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time). At that time, the hurricane had sustainted winds of 130 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour, 70 knots). However, within twelve hours of this observation, Wilma increased power quite dramatically, running the full gamut of the hurricane strength scale to Category 5 with sustained winds of 280 km/hr (175 mph, 150 knots)! At that point, Wilma became the most powerful storm in terms of both wind speeds and air pressure ever measured in an Atlantic hurricane. The image depicts wind speed in color and wind direction with small barbs. White barbs show areas of heavy rain. The highest wind speeds, shown in purple, surround the center of the storm. Ground measurements of the wind strength of Hurricane Wilma show sustained winds somewhat higher than those shown by QuikSCAT observations. This is because the power of the storm makes accurate measurements difficult. The scatterometer sends pulses of microwave energy through the atmosphere to the ocean surface, and measures the energy that bounces back from the wind-roughened surface. The energy of the microwave pulses changes depending on wind speed and direction, giving scientists a way to monitor wind around the world. Tropical cyclones (the generic term for hurricanes and typhoons), however, are difficult to measure. To relate the radar energy return to actual wind speed, scientists compare measurements taken from buoys and other ground stations to data the satellite acquired at the same time and place. Because the high wind speeds generated by cyclones are rare, scientists do not have corresponding ground information to know how to translate data from the satellite for wind speeds above 50 knots (about 93 km/hr or 58 mph). Also, the unusually heavy rain found in a cyclone distorts the microwave pulses in a number of ways, making a conversion to accurate wind speed difficult. Instead, the scatterometer provides a nice picture of the relative wind speeds within the storm and shows wind direction. NASA image courtesy of David Long, Brigham Young University, on the QuikSCAT Science Team, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. |
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Ice Surge in Barrow, Alaska
| Title |
Ice Surge in Barrow, Alaska |
| Description |
Like a frozen tsunami, large blocks of sea ice crashed ashore in the town of Barrow, Alaska, on January 23 and 24, 2006, according to a report from the Associated Press. Driven by fierce Arctic winds and strong eastward currents, the ice surged ashore in "car-sized blocks." This pair of radar images of northern Alaska on January 1 and 24, 2006, shows the movement of the sea ice southward and onto the shore at Point Barrow. The observations were collected by a radar on NASA's QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm ] satellite. On January 1, a thin strip of open water (dark area) separates the sea ice (across the top of the images) from the Alaska coast. By January 24, the sea ice had moved south and east, closing the small gap and climbing onto shore. The animations are based on daily images from January 1-30, 2006. Images provided by Dr. David Long, Brigham Young University Center for Remote Sensing. |
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Ice Surge in Barrow, Alaska
| Title |
Ice Surge in Barrow, Alaska |
| Description |
Like a frozen tsunami, large blocks of sea ice crashed ashore in the town of Barrow, Alaska, on January 23 and 24, 2006, according to a report from the Associated Press. Driven by fierce Arctic winds and strong eastward currents, the ice surged ashore in "car-sized blocks." This pair of radar images of northern Alaska on January 1 and 24, 2006, shows the movement of the sea ice southward and onto the shore at Point Barrow. The observations were collected by a radar on NASA's QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm ] satellite. On January 1, a thin strip of open water (dark area) separates the sea ice (across the top of the images) from the Alaska coast. By January 24, the sea ice had moved south and east, closing the small gap and climbing onto shore. The animations are based on daily images from January 1-30, 2006. Images provided by Dr. David Long, Brigham Young University Center for Remote Sensing. |
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Ice Surge in Barrow, Alaska
| Title |
Ice Surge in Barrow, Alaska |
| Description |
Like a frozen tsunami, large blocks of sea ice crashed ashore in the town of Barrow, Alaska, on January 23 and 24, 2006, according to a report from the Associated Press. Driven by fierce Arctic winds and strong eastward currents, the ice surged ashore in "car-sized blocks." This pair of radar images of northern Alaska on January 1 and 24, 2006, shows the movement of the sea ice southward and onto the shore at Point Barrow. The observations were collected by a radar on NASA's QuikSCAT [ http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm ] satellite. On January 1, a thin strip of open water (dark area) separates the sea ice (across the top of the images) from the Alaska coast. By January 24, the sea ice had moved south and east, closing the small gap and climbing onto shore. The animations are based on daily images from January 1-30, 2006. Images provided by Dr. David Long, Brigham Young University Center for Remote Sensing. |
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QuikScat Keeps Vigil Over Wa
…
| Title |
QuikScat Keeps Vigil Over Wandering Iceberg |
| Description |
A NASA satellite instrument is keeping an eye on an iceberg the size of Rhode Island, the first time this space technology has been used to track a potential threat to international shipping. NASA's new orbiting SeaWinds radar instrument, flying aboard the QuikScat satellite, will monitor Iceberg B10A, which snapped off Antarctica seven years ago and has since drifted into a shipping lane. Iceberg B10A, which measures about 38 by 77 kilometers (about 24 miles by 48 miles), was spotted by the Instrument during its first pass over Antarctica, demonstrating SeaWinds' all-weather and day-night observational capabilities. The massive iceberg extends about 90 meters (300 feet) above water and may reach as deep as 300 meters (1,000 feet) below the ocean's surface. It is breaking up into smaller pieces that could pose a threat to commercial, cruise and fishing ships if the pieces are blown back into the shipping lane by high winds. "Although the iceberg isn't posing a threat to ships in the area right now, pieces of B10A could be blown back into the shipping lane and become a danger to ships using the Antarctic's Drake Passage," said Dr. David Long, a member of the SeaWinds science team from Utah's Brigham Young University, Provo, UT. Long said that the SeaWinds instrument will be able to help scientists at the National Ice Center, Suitland, MD, track pieces of the iceberg down to 4 kilometers (about 2.5 miles) in size. For more information about QuikSCAT:Winds (NASA scatterometry)QuikSCAT Fact Sheet [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/QuikSCAT/ ]NSIDC Monitoring of Antarctic Ice Shelves [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu/iceshelves/ ] Image courtesy QuikSCAT project, NASA JPL |
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QuikSCAT Launches
| Title |
QuikSCAT Launches |
| Description |
NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) lofted into space on June 19 from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. QuikScat will provide climatologists, meteorologists, and oceanographers with daily, detailed snapshots of ocean winds. The mission will greatly improve weather forecasting. The satellite was launched on a U.S. Air Force Titan II launch vehicle soaring over the Pacific Ocean at sunset. Approximately two and a half minutes after launch, the Titan II first-stage engine shut down and the second stage ignited. A minute later, the nose cone separated in two halves and was jettisoned as planned. An hour into flight, QuikScat deployed its solar arrays. For more information, see:related story [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Stories/QuikScat.html ] in the Newsroom QuikSCAT web site [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] |
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QuikSCAT Launches
| Title |
QuikSCAT Launches |
| Description |
NASA's Quick Scatterometer (QuikScat) lofted into space on June 19 from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. QuikScat will provide climatologists, meteorologists, and oceanographers with daily, detailed snapshots of ocean winds. The mission will greatly improve weather forecasting. The satellite was launched on a U.S. Air Force Titan II launch vehicle soaring over the Pacific Ocean at sunset. Approximately two and a half minutes after launch, the Titan II first-stage engine shut down and the second stage ignited. A minute later, the nose cone separated in two halves and was jettisoned as planned. An hour into flight, QuikScat deployed its solar arrays. For more information, see:related story [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Stories/QuikScat.html ] in the Newsroom QuikSCAT web site [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] |
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