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NASA's Orbiting Earth Observ …
Title NASA's Orbiting Earth Observing Fleet (includes Aura)
Abstract NASA's Earth Observing fleet of vehicles constitutes a major milestone in the history of Earth science, facilitating the kinds of wide scale and synergistic research endeavors that until the last decade have been impossible to even consider. Many of the techniques being employed around Earth are a direct offshoot of technological and scientific techniques developed on missions to other worlds. NASA's continued commitment to primary research about our home remains a top priority not only to the agency, but to the nation, and the world as a whole. This visualization shows the spacecraft in NASA's Earth Observing fleet. The relative altitudes, speeds, and sun position are correct for 12-01-2003 starting at 5:00 UTC. Aura was added as it would appear in orbit (if it were in orbit at this time).
Completed 2004-05-13
A Summer View of Russia's Le …
Title A Summer View of Russia's Lena Delta and Olenek River
Description These views of the Russian Arctic were acquired by NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument on July 11, 2004. The brief arctic summer had transformed the frozen tundra and the thousands of lakes, channels, and rivers of the Lena Delta into a fertile wetland, and the usual blanket of thick snow had melted from the vast plains and taiga forests. The images show an area in the northern part of the Sakha Republic in eastern Siberia. The Olenek River wends northeast from the bottom of the images to the upper left, and the delta through which the mighty Lena River empties into the Laptev Sea dominate the top portions of the images. Creating accurate maps of vegetation structure is essential for understanding the seasonal exchanges of energy and water at the Earth's surface and for preserving biodiversity. The left-hand image is a natural-color image from MISR's nadir (vertical-viewing) camera, in which the rivers appear murky due to sediment, and photosynthetically active vegetation appears green. The center image is also from MISR's nadir camera, but is a false-color view in which the predominant red color is due to the brightness of vegetation at near-infrared wavelengths. Apart from the Lena Delta, the most photosynthetically active regions are within the lower half of the image and throughout the great stretch of land that curves across the Olenek River.  The relatively barren ranges of the Volyoi Mountains appear as the pale tan-colored area to the right of image center. The right-hand image is a multiangle, false-color view made from the red band data of the 60-degree-backward, nadir, and 60-degree-forward cameras, displayed as red, green and blue, respectively. Water appears blue in this image because sun glint makes smooth, wet surfaces look brighter at the forward camera's view angle. Much of the landscape and many low clouds appear purple because these surfaces are both forward and backward scattering, and clouds that are further from the surface appear in a different spot for each view angle, creating a rainbow-like appearance. The highly vegetated region in the natural-color nadir image exhibits a faint greenish hue in the multi-angle composite. This subtle effect suggests that the nadir camera is observing more of the brighter, underlying surface than the oblique cameras, providing information about the distribution and density of trees and shrubs in this area. The Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously, and every 9 days views the entire globe between 82 degrees north and 82 degrees south latitude. The MISR Browse Image Viewer [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/MISRBR/ ], provides access to low-resolution true-color versions of these images. These data products were generated from a portion of the imagery acquired during Terra orbit 24273. The panels cover an area of about 230 kilometers x 420 kilometers, and utilize data from blocks 30 to 34 within World Reference System-2 path 134. MISR was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. [ http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Text by Clare Averill (Raytheon/JPL).
Floods in India and Banglade …
Title Floods in India and Bangladesh
Description Intense monsoon rains beginning in mid-June combined with melting snow running out of the Himalaya Mountains to trigger extensive flooding across Bangladesh and northeastern India at the end of June and beginning of July 2004. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image, acquired on June 28 by the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, shows just how widespread the floods are. The image includes an area that is about 2000 kilometers wide, and dark blue water, not present in an image taken on May 8 during the dry season, covers much of the scene. In this false-color image pair, water is dark blue, vegetation is bright green, and clouds are light blue. Bare earth is tan. In the flood image, the sun is reflecting off the surface of the water, creating a bright white patch near the center of the image. As of July 10, 55 people had died in the floods in northeastern India, and hundreds of thousands more have been affected. In Bangladesh, high waters stranded nearly half a million people, according to news reports. NASA image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at Goddard Space Flight Center.
Floods in India and Banglade …
Title Floods in India and Bangladesh
Description Intense monsoon rains beginning in mid-June combined with melting snow running out of the Himalaya Mountains to trigger extensive flooding across Bangladesh and northeastern India at the end of June and beginning of July 2004. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image, acquired on June 28 by the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, shows just how widespread the floods are. The image includes an area that is about 2000 kilometers wide, and dark blue water, not present in an image taken on May 8 during the dry season, covers much of the scene. In this false-color image pair, water is dark blue, vegetation is bright green, and clouds are light blue. Bare earth is tan. In the flood image, the sun is reflecting off the surface of the water, creating a bright white patch near the center of the image. As of July 10, 55 people had died in the floods in northeastern India, and hundreds of thousands more have been affected. In Bangladesh, high waters stranded nearly half a million people, according to news reports. NASA image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at Goddard Space Flight Center.
Forest Fire Smoke Surroundin …
Title Forest Fire Smoke Surrounding Mt. McKinley
Description This view of Mt McKinley (Denali)—the highest point in North America (6,194 meters, 20,230 feet)—looks as if it were taken from an aircraft. In fact, an astronaut onboard the International Space Station took advantage of cloud-free skies and a powerful 800-millimeter lens to photograph this peak while the spacecraft was over the Gulf of Alaska, 800 miles to the south of the mountain. The powerful lenses are difficult to use, requiring motion compensation by the astronaut, so these kinds of detailed images of horizon detail are seldom taken. The rising sun casts long shadows across the Kahiltna Glacier that angles down from Denali (left). In addition to the blueness inherent in all images taken at great distance (the atmosphere scatters blue light more than it does other colors), this image also shows unusually dense atmospheric haze at lower altitudes: all the valleys in the foreground appear murky. The explanation is dramatically portrayed in a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image taken on the same day, Sunday, August 14, from the Terra satellite. On that day, an enormous smoke pall hung over central Alaska, all the major mountain ranges protruded above the smoke layer, which was held close to the surface by high atmospheric pressure. The smoke came from more than 100 forest fires burning in the summer heat of Alaska. The MODIS image shows that the smoke on August 14 was far thicker to the north of the Alaska Range where Denali is. The Space Station image shows this denser smoke settled between the Alaska Range and the distant horizon of the Kuskokwim Mountains, 80 miles to the north. Astronaut photograph ISS011-E-11806 [ http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS011&roll=E&frame=11806 ] was acquired August 14, 2005, with a Kodak 760C digital camera fitted with an 800 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and the Image Science & Analysis Group, Johnson Space Center. The International Space Station Program [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.html ] supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. [ http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ ]
Chilean Lake Disappears
Title Chilean Lake Disappears
Description In May 2007, the Chilean Forestry Corporation discovered that a lake in the Southern Patagonia Icefield in the Chilean Andes had disappeared. Chilean glaciologists had observed the 20,000-square-meter (roughly 215,000-squre-foot) lake, which was located between the tongues of the Glaciar Témpanos and Glaciar Bernardo, in March. (Glaciar is Spanish for "glacier.") Two months later, nothing remained except a 30-meter- (100-foot-) deep crater and some stranded ice that had once floated on the water's surface. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured the top image on June 23, 2007, showing a crater that the lake had occupied. In this image, the crater lies mostly in shadow, due to the low angle of the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere's winter. Despite the shadows, contour lines around the lake show where the ground level is lower than the surroundings. East of the drained lake, water still appears near the tongue of Glaciar Bernardo. In this image, made from a combination of visible and infrared light detected by ASTER, red indicates vegetation, and patches of red peek through the snow cover. ASTER acquired the bottom image on April 4, 2007, when the lake was still in place. In this image—acquired in the Chilean autumn—both the lake and a nearby tributary appear full, shown by the blue-tinted water. Vibrant red, lush vegetation covers the landscape. Although the sudden draining of a lake is rare, it is not unheard of. One explanation that scientists proposed was an earthquake in the region that measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. Earthquakes can open up fissures in the rock, giving water an escape route. Another explanation was more prosaic: melting. Blocks of ice dam many glacial lakes, and when the ice melts, the lake can drain away. Sometimes a lake can drain in a rapid deluge, known as a glacial lake outburst flood. After flying over the region in late June 2007, scientists from Centro de Estudios Cientificos (CECS) and the Chilean Navy concluded that the likely culprit for the lake's disappearance was such a flood. Dr. Andrés Rivera, a glaciologist from CECS, described the flow. "The lake's water flowed to the north along the western margin of Glaciar Bernardo and into a big hole, [ http://www.imaginaccion.cl/cecs.html ] where the water went down into a glacier tunnel in the direction to Bernardo Fjord," he said. Bernardo Fjord empties into the Pacific Ocean. You can also download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the region around the "missing" lake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/lagotempanos_ast_2007174.kmz ], including both April 4 and June 23, 2007, images, suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Chilean Lake Disappears
Title Chilean Lake Disappears
Description In May 2007, the Chilean Forestry Corporation discovered that a lake in the Southern Patagonia Icefield in the Chilean Andes had disappeared. Chilean glaciologists had observed the 20,000-square-meter (roughly 215,000-squre-foot) lake, which was located between the tongues of the Glaciar Témpanos and Glaciar Bernardo, in March. (Glaciar is Spanish for "glacier.") Two months later, nothing remained except a 30-meter- (100-foot-) deep crater and some stranded ice that had once floated on the water's surface. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured the top image on June 23, 2007, showing a crater that the lake had occupied. In this image, the crater lies mostly in shadow, due to the low angle of the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere's winter. Despite the shadows, contour lines around the lake show where the ground level is lower than the surroundings. East of the drained lake, water still appears near the tongue of Glaciar Bernardo. In this image, made from a combination of visible and infrared light detected by ASTER, red indicates vegetation, and patches of red peek through the snow cover. ASTER acquired the bottom image on April 4, 2007, when the lake was still in place. In this image—acquired in the Chilean autumn—both the lake and a nearby tributary appear full, shown by the blue-tinted water. Vibrant red, lush vegetation covers the landscape. Although the sudden draining of a lake is rare, it is not unheard of. One explanation that scientists proposed was an earthquake in the region that measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. Earthquakes can open up fissures in the rock, giving water an escape route. Another explanation was more prosaic: melting. Blocks of ice dam many glacial lakes, and when the ice melts, the lake can drain away. Sometimes a lake can drain in a rapid deluge, known as a glacial lake outburst flood. After flying over the region in late June 2007, scientists from Centro de Estudios Cientificos (CECS) and the Chilean Navy concluded that the likely culprit for the lake's disappearance was such a flood. Dr. Andrés Rivera, a glaciologist from CECS, described the flow. "The lake's water flowed to the north along the western margin of Glaciar Bernardo and into a big hole, [ http://www.imaginaccion.cl/cecs.html ] where the water went down into a glacier tunnel in the direction to Bernardo Fjord," he said. Bernardo Fjord empties into the Pacific Ocean. You can also download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the region around the "missing" lake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/lagotempanos_ast_2007174.kmz ], including both April 4 and June 23, 2007, images, suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Dewatering Effects from the …
Title Dewatering Effects from the Gujarat Earthquake
Description MISR Browse Image Viewer [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/MISRBR/ ] provides access to low-resolution true-color versions of these images. This data product was generated from a portion of the imagery acquired during Terra orbits 5736 and 5969. The full-size images cover an area of 215 kilometers x 156 kilometers, and utilize data from blocks 71 to 72 within World Reference System-2 path 151. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Text by Clare Averill (Acro Service Corporation/JPL) and David J. Diner (JPL)., browse image of orbit 5969 (380 KB JPEG) On January 26, 2001, when India's Republic Day is normally celebrated, a devastating earthquake hit the state of Gujarat. About 20,000 people died and millions were injured throughout the region. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale. After the earthquake, local residents reported a mixture of water and sediments fountaining from the Earth. These effects, referred to as dewatering, can result from intense ground shaking by strong earthquakes in regions with shallow water tables. Scientists initially observed dewatering in parts of the Rann of Kutch (a large salt pan in northern Gujarat), and in areas close to the earthquake epicenter. Recent research utilizes the unique capabilities of the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument to observe earthquake-related dewatering over a broader area (related story: NASA Satellite Helps Scientists See Effects of Earthquakes in Remote Areas [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2003/2003020511146.html ]). This research is published in the February 4, 2003, issue of EOS Transactions of the American Geophysical Union. These two false-color MISR images were acquired before and after the event, on January 15 and 31, respectively. The earthquake epicenter was located about 80 kilometers east of the city of Bhuj, situated in the lower part of the images. The later image depicts numerous areas where groundwater flowed up to the surface, including within the Rann of Kutch, as well as near the Indo-Pakistani border. These regions of earthquake-associated surface water are apparent up to 200 kilometers from the earthquake's epicenter. Water was observed in many remote areas, especially near the Indo-Pakistani border, which were not easily accessible to survey teams on the ground. Changes in reflection at different view angles and in the near-infrared spectral region assist with the identification of surface water, which appears here in shades of blue and purple. In these visualizations, data from the red band of MISR's most obliquely backward and forward-viewing cameras are displayed as red and blue, respectively, and data from the near-infrared band of MISR's vertically-downward viewing (nadir) camera are displayed as green. Water bodies tend to be more absorbing in the near-infrared, and to be brighter in the view acquired by the more sun-facing (in this case, the 70-degree forward) camera. This combination enhances the ability to distinguish wet surfaces. True color and multi-angle visualizations [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=4810 ] of these data were also released in April 2001. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously and every 9 days views the entire globe between 82 degrees north and 82 degrees south latitude. The
Dewatering Effects from the …
Title Dewatering Effects from the Gujarat Earthquake
Description MISR Browse Image Viewer [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/MISRBR/ ] provides access to low-resolution true-color versions of these images. This data product was generated from a portion of the imagery acquired during Terra orbits 5736 and 5969. The full-size images cover an area of 215 kilometers x 156 kilometers, and utilize data from blocks 71 to 72 within World Reference System-2 path 151. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Text by Clare Averill (Acro Service Corporation/JPL) and David J. Diner (JPL)., browse image of orbit 5969 (380 KB JPEG) On January 26, 2001, when India's Republic Day is normally celebrated, a devastating earthquake hit the state of Gujarat. About 20,000 people died and millions were injured throughout the region. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale. After the earthquake, local residents reported a mixture of water and sediments fountaining from the Earth. These effects, referred to as dewatering, can result from intense ground shaking by strong earthquakes in regions with shallow water tables. Scientists initially observed dewatering in parts of the Rann of Kutch (a large salt pan in northern Gujarat), and in areas close to the earthquake epicenter. Recent research utilizes the unique capabilities of the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument to observe earthquake-related dewatering over a broader area (related story: NASA Satellite Helps Scientists See Effects of Earthquakes in Remote Areas [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2003/2003020511146.html ]). This research is published in the February 4, 2003, issue of EOS Transactions of the American Geophysical Union. These two false-color MISR images were acquired before and after the event, on January 15 and 31, respectively. The earthquake epicenter was located about 80 kilometers east of the city of Bhuj, situated in the lower part of the images. The later image depicts numerous areas where groundwater flowed up to the surface, including within the Rann of Kutch, as well as near the Indo-Pakistani border. These regions of earthquake-associated surface water are apparent up to 200 kilometers from the earthquake's epicenter. Water was observed in many remote areas, especially near the Indo-Pakistani border, which were not easily accessible to survey teams on the ground. Changes in reflection at different view angles and in the near-infrared spectral region assist with the identification of surface water, which appears here in shades of blue and purple. In these visualizations, data from the red band of MISR's most obliquely backward and forward-viewing cameras are displayed as red and blue, respectively, and data from the near-infrared band of MISR's vertically-downward viewing (nadir) camera are displayed as green. Water bodies tend to be more absorbing in the near-infrared, and to be brighter in the view acquired by the more sun-facing (in this case, the 70-degree forward) camera. This combination enhances the ability to distinguish wet surfaces. True color and multi-angle visualizations [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=4810 ] of these data were also released in April 2001. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously and every 9 days views the entire globe between 82 degrees north and 82 degrees south latitude. The
Haze over the Philippine Sea
Title Haze over the Philippine Sea
Description The Anatahan Volcano [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12822 ] has extended its reach over 2,220 kilometers (1,380 miles) west to blanket the Philippine Sea with a river of white haze. The volcano erupted explosively on April 6, 2005, sending as much as 50 million cubic meters of ash into the atmosphere?its largest eruption in recorded history. The haze seen here is not a product of ash however, it is a soupy fog made from tiny drops of sulfuric acid suspended in the atmosphere. This volcanic fog, called ?vog,? forms when sulfur dioxide emitted during the eruption combines with water molecules in the atmosphere to create sulfuric acid. It is not yet known how much sulfur dioxide exploded from Anatahan on April 6, or how much leaked from the volcano before and after that eruption, but the haze of sulfuric acid has now traveled to the Philippine Sea. In addition to causing eye and respiratory irritation, vog can have a big impact on climate. As this image shows, the haze is bright and reflects sunlight back into space. This decreases the amount of energy that reaches the Earth?s surface, which lowers temperatures. Large volcanic eruptions such as Pinatubo in 1991, Krakatau in 1883, or Mt. Tambora in 1815 can send enough sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to lower temperatures around the globe, and since the tiny acid droplets remain in the atmosphere for an extended period of time, the effect can last as long as a year or two. This image of the vog over the Philippine Sea was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on April 20, 2005. A river of haze flows from the east in the lower right corner of the image, then snakes its way north over the water. The Philippines is immediately west of the haze, though Mindanao, the southern island of the country, appears to be covered with vog. To the left of the haze, the sun is reflecting from the smooth surface of the ocean. The effect is a silvery mirror called sunglint that extends down a narrow strip of the image where the sun?s angle was just right to reflect light directly into the sensor. The large image provided above has a resolution of 500 meters per pixel. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Heat Wave in North America
Title Heat Wave in North America
Description Scorching summer sun, burning pavement, stinging sweat—normal for July. But in July 2006, temperatures climbed above average levels for the previous six years and stayed warm for several days. During mid-July, a heat wave settled over most of the United States, with air temperatures soaring past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius). Land surface temperatures climbed as well, as this image shows. Most of the United States and portions of Canada and Mexico were much warmer than they had been during the same period from 2000 to 2005. Deep red across the Midwest indicates that land surface temperatures were as much as 10 degrees Celsius warmer than the six-year average, and with the exception of the Pacific Northwest and a few other isolated region, the rest of the country was also warmer than average. The heat wave continued past the period shown here, through the end of July. In California alone, the heat killed at least 126 people, reported Reuters on July 29. This image was created from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite between July 12 and July 19, 2006. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of Zhengming Wan, MODIS Land Surface Temperature Group, Institute for Computational Earth System Science [ http://www.icess.ucsb.edu/ ], University of California, Santa Barbara.
Eruption of Klyuchevskaya Vo …
Title Eruption of Klyuchevskaya Volcano
Description The rising sun bathes the eastern half of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula with light, casting long shadows in the west. The shadows highlight the plume of ash that continues to rise from the Klyuchevskaya Volcano. The largest and most active volcano on the peninsula, Klyuchevskaya has erupted regularly since its first recorded eruption in 1697. Its most recent activity began in mid-January 2005, and has not abated. Dark ash from the ongoing eruption dusts the snow in this image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on March 12, 2005. In addition to the large plume of ash visible in this image, the ongoing eruption has sent molten lava down the volcano's northeast slope, where it is melting the Ehrman glacier. This activity may be responsible for the rivers of water that can be seen in the snow near the northeast base of the volcano. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Fires in Borneo
Title Fires in Borneo
Description In southern Borneo, a cluster of fires was burning on September 18, 2005. These and other fires have been creating a severe air quality problem for the island throughout September. The image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite, active fires have been marked with red dots. One reason fires on Borneo are so smoky is that they are usually burning in peat swamp forests. The island's low-lying areas are home to swampy forests where leaves and other organic matter decay very slowly because of the soggy conditions. The dead material accumulates in thick layers called peat. When peat dries out, either due to drought or because of logging that opens the forest canopy and exposes the ground to the Sun, the peat become flammable. Fires started in peat forests can burn out of control for months, churning out thick smoke. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Record Hot April in Australi …
Title Record Hot April in Australia
Description Record heat stifled Australia in April 2005. The average temperature for the entire continent was 2.9 degrees Celsius above average, making this the warmest April on record. The high temperatures were accompanied by dry skies, with rainfall totals well below average for many areas. This image shows just how much of Australia sweltered under hotter-than-normal temperatures during April 2005. The image was created using surface temperature data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Deep red over most of the continent reveal where temperatures were hotter in April 2005 than the average April temperature between 2000 and 2004. Darker red spots show where temperatures spiked, while tan and blues show temperatures much closer to average. The surface temperatures shown here are different from the air temperatures reported on the evening news. Because the ground absorbs energy from the sun, surface temperatures are often much warmer than air temperatures, for example, a sandy beach can be unbearably hot even though the air temperature is comfortable. While air temperatures may not have soared as high as 15 degrees Celsius above average as the image shows the ground temperatures doing in places, they did set new records throughout the country. NASA image by Jesse Allen, based on data from Zhengming Wan, MODIS Land Surface Temperature Group, Institute for Computational Earth System Science [ http://www.icess.ucsb.edu/ ], University of California, Santa Barbara
Record Hot April in Australi …
Title Record Hot April in Australia
Description Record heat stifled Australia in April 2005. The average temperature for the entire continent was 2.9 degrees Celsius above average, making this the warmest April on record. The high temperatures were accompanied by dry skies, with rainfall totals well below average for many areas. This image shows just how much of Australia sweltered under hotter-than-normal temperatures during April 2005. The image was created using surface temperature data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Deep red over most of the continent reveal where temperatures were hotter in April 2005 than the average April temperature between 2000 and 2004. Darker red spots show where temperatures spiked, while tan and blues show temperatures much closer to average. The surface temperatures shown here are different from the air temperatures reported on the evening news. Because the ground absorbs energy from the sun, surface temperatures are often much warmer than air temperatures, for example, a sandy beach can be unbearably hot even though the air temperature is comfortable. While air temperatures may not have soared as high as 15 degrees Celsius above average as the image shows the ground temperatures doing in places, they did set new records throughout the country. NASA image by Jesse Allen, based on data from Zhengming Wan, MODIS Land Surface Temperature Group, Institute for Computational Earth System Science [ http://www.icess.ucsb.edu/ ], University of California, Santa Barbara
Rice Cultivation in Northwes …
Title Rice Cultivation in Northwest Italy
Description The lowlands of Lombardy and Piedmont in northwest Italy are some of the most highly developed irrigation areas in the world. Irrigated lands cover at least 160,000 acres in this part of Italy, where rice is the most important crop. These views of the region were acquired on May 8, 2005, by NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR). The multiple viewing angles provided by MISR's nine cameras make it possible to tell wet surfaces, including flooded lands, from other surfaces, and they also make cities easy to locate. The left-hand image is a natural-color view acquired by MISR's downward-looking (nadir) camera, and the right-hand image is a combination of red band data from MISR's 60-degree-backward-, nadir, and 60-degree-forward-viewing cameras. (Red band is what scientists call the "channel" on the sensor that detects red light.) Color changes indicate surface texture, which is influenced by terrain, vegetation structure, soil type, and surface wetness. Wet surfaces or areas with standing water appear in blue or purple-blue hues. The purple-blue areas that dominate the center-left part of the image are part of the extensive irrigation network that exists throughout the plains and meadows of the region. Cities with tall buildings appear in red-orange hues. In this type of image, the city of Milan is the most obvious. The small orange area in the center of the purple inundated area indicates the location of Vercelli, and the larger city of Milan is the orange area to the northeast, on the other side of the Ticino River. To a lesser extent, the cities of Novara, Pavia, Galliate, Mortara, and Vigevano are also identifiable by their orange hues. MISR can tell various surface features like cities or irrigated areas apart because of the way surfaces reflect light. A smooth water surface tends to reflect sunlight away from the Sun. This effect is most apparent when a satellite views the surface with the Sun in front of the camera. Similarly, rough surfaces tend to reflect light back towards the Sun, and this "backward scattering" is most obvious when a satellites views a surface with the Sun behind the camera. Clouds present over the high country to the west of the Lago Maggiore (upper left corner) and along the coast of the Golfo di Genova (bottom) appear in a different spot for each view angle, creating a rainbow-like appearance. Mountains also have a "wavy" look in the multi-angle combination because, like clouds, their height above the surface makes them appear in a different spot in each camera's view angle. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously, viewing the entire globe between 82 degrees North and 82 degrees South latitude every nine days. This image covers an area of about 131 kilometers by 191 kilometers. These data products were generated from a portion of the imagery acquired during Terra orbit 28660 and utilize data from block 54 within World Reference System-2 path 193. MISR was, built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. [ http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Text by Clare Averill (Raytheon ITSS/JPL)
Snow in the Hindu Kush
Title Snow in the Hindu Kush
Description The most severe winter to hit southwest Asia in decades has cost hundreds of lives in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. Heavy snow continues to fall over the Himalaya Mountains in both Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan. As the above image shows, both mountains and valleys are buried in snow across the region, with the exception of the Indus River valley in Pakistan. The snow has isolated many communities, stranding them without access to food supplies. Most of the deaths, however, have occurred as people have been trapped under avalanches in the steep mountains. At least 230 people died in Indian-administered Kashmir, many of them in a series of avalanches near the capital, Srinagar, where 4.5 meters (15 feet) of snow has fallen. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired this image on February 22, 2005, the clouds had cleared and the sun shone over Kashmir. Low cloud, slightly smoother and duller white than snow, fills the valley around Srinagar. In the high mountains exposed to the sun, the avalanche hazard could increase as melting snow becomes unstable. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Total Solar Eclipse over Afr …
Title Total Solar Eclipse over Africa and the Mediterranean
Description At 10:40 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite flew over the eastern Mediterranean as the shadow of the Moon traveled across Libya and the Mediterranean. As Aqua passed over, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] captured the top image in this pair. The deep shadow cast by the Moon as it passed in front of the Sun is clearly visible on the Earth, in stark contrast to the daylight view of the same area captured just an hour earlier by the MODIS on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. During the eclipse, clouds and snow were still visible, but the land surface below was lost in darkness. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Total Solar Eclipse over Afr …
Title Total Solar Eclipse over Africa and the Mediterranean
Description At 10:40 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite flew over the eastern Mediterranean as the shadow of the Moon traveled across Libya and the Mediterranean. As Aqua passed over, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] captured the top image in this pair. The deep shadow cast by the Moon as it passed in front of the Sun is clearly visible on the Earth, in stark contrast to the daylight view of the same area captured just an hour earlier by the MODIS on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. During the eclipse, clouds and snow were still visible, but the land surface below was lost in darkness. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Total solar eclipse over Ant …
Title Total solar eclipse over Antarctica
Description The moon cast a long shadow over Antarctica on November 23, 2003, in a total solar eclipse. The sun typically hangs low on the horizon during the southernmost continent's almost-summer months, so when the Moon moved between the Sun and the Earth, its shadow fell in a roughly 500-kilometer long oval like the long shadows of a early summer dawn. At the time this image was taken, the sun was at approximately 15 degrees above the horizon. The shadow's long circular shape is the same pattern a flashlight casts an the floor when held at a similar angle. The moon's shadow has two parts: the fuzzy outer shadow, the penumbra, and the dark inner shadow, the umbra. Within the umbra, the sun is completely blocked. A person standing on the ground sees a glowing black disk in front of the sun?the disk is the moon, and the glow is the sun's corona. In the penumbra, the ground observer sees the moon covering part of the sun. Both the penumbra and the umbra are visible in this true-color image. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image of the eclipse between 23:15 and 23:20 UTC. The Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured a similar image [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2003327-1123/Antarctica.A2003327.2255 ] of the eclipse. The eclipse started at 22:08 UTC, and the shadow passed from the surface of the earth a little over an hour later at 23:20 UTC. The sun's light was completely blocked at 22:49 for one minute and 55 seconds. At the time this image was taken, the sun was just rising over Antarctica, tinting the mountains a delicate pink, even within the shadow of the eclipse. Beyond the dark upper left corner, the sun has not yet driven away night's darkness. The bluish tones of the snow reveal how Antarctica appears from space without atmospheric correction. The shadow covers Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, with its tip pointing towards Africa. The South Pole is just beyond the right corner of the image. The moon is not the only thing throwing shadows across the landscape in this image. On the top left, the Pensacola Mountains make long horizontal shadows on the ice. Patches of low cloud along the left side of the umbra are also leaving a dark smudge on the surface. This image is available in multiple resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2003327-1123/Antarctica2.A2003327.2320 ]. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Total solar eclipse over Ant …
Title Total solar eclipse over Antarctica
Description The moon cast a long shadow over Antarctica on November 23, 2003, in a total solar eclipse. The sun typically hangs low on the horizon during the southernmost continent's almost-summer months, so when the Moon moved between the Sun and the Earth, its shadow fell in a roughly 500-kilometer long oval like the long shadows of a early summer dawn. At the time this image was taken, the sun was at approximately 15 degrees above the horizon. The shadow's long circular shape is the same pattern a flashlight casts an the floor when held at a similar angle. The moon's shadow has two parts: the fuzzy outer shadow, the penumbra, and the dark inner shadow, the umbra. Within the umbra, the sun is completely blocked. A person standing on the ground sees a glowing black disk in front of the sun?the disk is the moon, and the glow is the sun's corona. In the penumbra, the ground observer sees the moon covering part of the sun. Both the penumbra and the umbra are visible in this true-color image. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image of the eclipse between 23:15 and 23:20 UTC. The Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured a similar image [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2003327-1123/Antarctica.A2003327.2255 ] of the eclipse. The eclipse started at 22:08 UTC, and the shadow passed from the surface of the earth a little over an hour later at 23:20 UTC. The sun's light was completely blocked at 22:49 for one minute and 55 seconds. At the time this image was taken, the sun was just rising over Antarctica, tinting the mountains a delicate pink, even within the shadow of the eclipse. Beyond the dark upper left corner, the sun has not yet driven away night's darkness. The bluish tones of the snow reveal how Antarctica appears from space without atmospheric correction. The shadow covers Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, with its tip pointing towards Africa. The South Pole is just beyond the right corner of the image. The moon is not the only thing throwing shadows across the landscape in this image. On the top left, the Pensacola Mountains make long horizontal shadows on the ice. Patches of low cloud along the left side of the umbra are also leaving a dark smudge on the surface. This image is available in multiple resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2003327-1123/Antarctica2.A2003327.2320 ]. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Floods in Ethiopia and Somal …
Title Floods in Ethiopia and Somalia
Description Heavy rains pounded down over the Ahmar Mountains and the desert-dry plain to their south and east on April 23 and April 24, 2005. Rivers flowing out of the mountains spread far beyond their banks on April 27, 2005, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image. In these false-color scenes, water is a deep turquoise against the tan-pink desert. Clouds are light blue. Rivers that were faint spidery shadows on April 11, 2005, lower image, had become wide blue-green stokes that appeared to be hundreds of meters wider than normal on April 27, top. The region shown in this image has been plagued by drought, and that may have contributed to the flooding. Hard, sun-baked ground cannot easily absorb heavy rain, so the water tends to run off, filling depressions and riverbeds. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team and the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC.
Widely Scattered Fires acros …
Title Widely Scattered Fires across Central Africa
Description This pair of images from December 11, 2002, shows the diurnal (daily cycle) fire patterns in central Africa. The top image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on the Terra satellite in the morning, while the bottom image was captured by the MODIS on the Aqua satellite in the afternoon. From left to right, this image spans the countries of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic. At bottom right, a portion of Democratic Republic of Congo is visible. As the day progressed, fire activity (indicated by red dots) increased markedly. The increase is due to both human and environmental factors. Many, if not most, of these fires are set by humans for agricultural purposes: clearing farmland, returning nutrients to the soil, regenerating pasture. People become more active over the course of the day, and fire occurrence increases. Fire activity is also influenced by increasing temperatures and decreasing humidity as the morning progresses to afternoon. This increases the potential for planned fires to get out of control or to burn larger areas than intended. Another interesting difference between the morning and afternoon overpasses is how the relative position of the sun and the satellite during each overpass changes the appearance of the vegetation. Notice that in the Terra overpass, when the light from the sun would have been coming from the southeast, the vegetation at the right of the image appears dark, and the vegetation in the left half of the image appears bright. During the Aqua overpass, the reverse is true: the sun is coming from the southwest, and the vegetation appears bright in the east and dark in the west. This apparent change in surface observations due to change in the relative positions of the sun and the spacecraft is referred to as the bidirectional effect, and scientists must take the effect into consideration when using satellite data to study surface features on Earth. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Widely Scattered Fires acros …
Title Widely Scattered Fires across Central Africa
Description This pair of images from December 11, 2002, shows the diurnal (daily cycle) fire patterns in central Africa. The top image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on the Terra satellite in the morning, while the bottom image was captured by the MODIS on the Aqua satellite in the afternoon. From left to right, this image spans the countries of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic. At bottom right, a portion of Democratic Republic of Congo is visible. As the day progressed, fire activity (indicated by red dots) increased markedly. The increase is due to both human and environmental factors. Many, if not most, of these fires are set by humans for agricultural purposes: clearing farmland, returning nutrients to the soil, regenerating pasture. People become more active over the course of the day, and fire occurrence increases. Fire activity is also influenced by increasing temperatures and decreasing humidity as the morning progresses to afternoon. This increases the potential for planned fires to get out of control or to burn larger areas than intended. Another interesting difference between the morning and afternoon overpasses is how the relative position of the sun and the satellite during each overpass changes the appearance of the vegetation. Notice that in the Terra overpass, when the light from the sun would have been coming from the southeast, the vegetation at the right of the image appears dark, and the vegetation in the left half of the image appears bright. During the Aqua overpass, the reverse is true: the sun is coming from the southwest, and the vegetation appears bright in the east and dark in the west. This apparent change in surface observations due to change in the relative positions of the sun and the spacecraft is referred to as the bidirectional effect, and scientists must take the effect into consideration when using satellite data to study surface features on Earth. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
First Monthly CERES Global L …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
*NASA Releases Terra's First …
ceres_monthly_200003
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2000-03-01
creator NASA -- Data courtesy CERES instrument team
identifier ceres_monthly_200003
A Summer View of Russia's Le …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
These views of the Russian A …
PIA04366
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2004-07-11
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ MISR Team. Text by Clare Averill (Raytheon/JPL).
identifier PIA04366
Rice Cultivation in Northwes …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
The lowlands of Lombardy and …
PIA04380
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2005-05-08
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ MISR Team. Text by Clare Averill (Raytheon ITSS/JPL)
identifier PIA04380
Total solar eclipse over Ant …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
The moon cast a long shadow …
Eclipse2.AMO2003327
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2003-11-23
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier Eclipse2.AMO2003327
Total solar eclipse over Ant …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
The moon cast a long shadow …
Eclipse2.AMO2003327
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2003-11-23
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier Eclipse2.AMO2003327
Solar Eclipse over Africa: N …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
* eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/ima …
NorthAfrica_TMO_2005276
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2005-10-03
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier NorthAfrica_TMO_2005276
Seasonal Changes in Earth's …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Triggered by seasonal change …
misr_albedo_2004
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2005
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ MISR Team. Text by John Martonchik (JPL) and Clare Averill (Raytheon ITSS/JPL).
identifier misr_albedo_2004
Deep Ocean Tsunami Waves off …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
The initial tsunami waves re …
PIA04373
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2004-12-26
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. Text by Clare Averill (Raytheon ITSS/JPL), Michael Garay and David J. Diner (JPL, California Institute of Technology), and Vasily Titov (NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and University of Washington/Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Oceans).
identifier PIA04373
Sun Glint from Solar Electri …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Depending upon the position …
Solarplant_MISR2004099
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2003-04-08
creator NASA -- Image credit: NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. Text acknowledgment: Clare Averill (Raytheon ITSS / Jet Propulsion Laboratory), Mike Garay (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and Dominic Mazzoni (Jet Propulsion Laboratory).
identifier Solarplant_MISR2004099
Remembering Yoram Kaufman: I …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Teams for the MISR and CERES …
yoram_memorial
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-05-26
creator NASA -- Photographs and image courtesy NASA
identifier yoram_memorial
June 10 Annular Solar Eclips …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
On June 10, 2002, the moon o …
PIA03712
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2002-06-10
creator NASA -- Image provided by NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team
identifier PIA03712
Floods in India and Banglade …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
* eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/ima …
terra_india_28jun04
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2004-06-28
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier terra_india_28jun04
Low Pressure System over the …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
A large low-pressure system …
modis_eastus_20010524
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2001-05-24
creator NASA -- Image courtesy Patrick Coronado and the Direct Readout Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
identifier modis_eastus_20010524
ASTER Andes
PIA02654
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Andes
Original Caption Released with Image In this image of the Andes along the Chile-Bolivia border, the visible and infrared data have been computer enhanced to exaggerate the color differences of the different materials. The scene is dominated by the Pampa Luxsar lava complex, occupying the upper right two-thirds of the scene. Lava flows are distributed around remnants of large dissected cones, the largest of which is Cerro Luxsar. On the middle left edge of the image are the Olca and Parumastrato volcanoes, which appear in blue due to a lack of vegetation (colored red in this composite). This image covers an area 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and 60 kilometers (37 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. It was acquired on April 7, 2000. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka …
PIA03514
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
Original Caption Released with Image On the night of June 4, 2001, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) captured this thermal image of the erupting Shiveluch volcano. Located on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, Shiveluch rises to an altitude of 2,447 meters (8,028 feet). The active lava dome complex is seen as a bright (hot) area on the summit of the volcano. To the southwest, a second hot area is either a debris avalanche or hot ash deposit. Trailing to the west is a 25-kilometer (15-mile) ash plume, seen as a cold "cloud" streaming from the summit. At least 60 large eruptions have occurred here during the last 10,000 years, the largest historical eruptions were in 1854 and 1964. Because Kamchatka is located along the major aircraft routes between North America/Europe and Asia, this area is constantly monitored for potential ash hazards to aircraft. The area is part of the "Ring of Fire," a string of volcanoes that encircles the Pacific Ocean. The lower image is the same as the upper, except it has been color-coded: red is hot, light greens to dark green are progressively colder, and gray/black are the coldest areas. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched Dec. 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface.
ASTER Images San Francisco B …
PIA02606
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Images San Francisco Bay Area
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the San Francisco Bay region was acquired on March 3, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters about 50 to 300 feet ), ASTER will image Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. Image: This image covers an area 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and 75 kilometers (47 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The combination of bands portrays vegetation in red, and urban areas in gray. Sediment in the Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean shows up as lighter shades of blue. Along the west coast of the San Francisco Peninsula, strong surf can be seen as a white fringe along the shoreline. A powerful rip tide is visible extending westward from Daly City into the Pacific Ocean. In the lower right corner, the wetlands of the South San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge appear as large dark blue and brown polygons. The high spatial resolution of ASTER allows fine detail to be observed in the scene. The main bridges of the area (San Mateo, San Francisco-Oakland Bay, Golden Gate, Richmond-San Rafael, Benicia-Martinez, and Carquinez) are easily picked out, connecting the different communities in the Bay area. Shadows of the towers along the Bay Bridge can be seen over the adjacent bay water. With enlargement the entire road network can be easily mapped, individual buildings are visible, including the shadows of the high-rises in downtown San Francisco. Inset: This enlargement of the San Francisco Airport highlights the high spatial resolution of ASTER. With further enlargement and careful examination, airplanes can be seen at the terminals. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example, applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats, monitoring potentially active volcanoes, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, wetlands evaluation, thermal pollution monitoring, coral reef degradation, surface temperature mapping of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER Images Tokyo
PIA02607
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Images Tokyo
Original Caption Released with Image This image of the city of Tokyo was acquired on March 22, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. This false color infrared image covers an area 60 km wide and 75 km long in three bands of the short wavelength infrared region, with a spatial resolution of 15 m. It shows part of the Tokyo metropolitan area extending south to Yokohama, included are the Ginza District, Haneda airport and the Imperial Palace. To the west, Tokyo is hemmed in by mountains, covered with forests (displayed in red), on the southeast, Tokyo Bay is one of the world's great harbors. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats, monitoring potentially active volcanoes, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, wetlands evaluation, thermal pollution monitoring, coral reef degradation, surface temperature mapping of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER Images San Francisco B …
PIA02605
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Images San Francisco Bay Area
Original Caption Released with Image These images of the San Francisco Bay region were acquired on March 3, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. Each covers an area 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and 75 kilometers (47 miles) long. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. Upper Left: The color infrared composite uses bands in the visible and reflected infrared. Vegetation is red, urban areas are gray, sediment in the bays shows up as lighter shades of blue. Thanks to the 15 meter (50-foot) spatial resolution, shadows of the towers along the Bay Bridge can be seen. Upper right: A composite of bands in the short wave infrared displays differences in soils and rocks in the mountainous areas. Even though these regions appear entirely vegetated in the visible, enough surface shows through openings in the vegetation to allow the ground to be imaged. Lower left: This composite of multispectral thermal bands shows differences in urban materials in varying colors. Separation of materials is due to differences in thermal emission properties, analogous to colors in the visible. Lower right: This is a color coded temperature image of water temperature, derived from the thermal bands. Warm waters are in white and yellow, colder waters are blue. Suisun Bay in the upper right is fed directly from the cold Sacramento River. As the water flows through San Pablo and San Francisco Bays on the way to the Pacific, the waters warm up. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats, monitoring potentially active volcanoes, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, wetlands, evaluation, thermal pollution monitoring, coral reef degradation, surface temperature mapping of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
Saharan Dust Cloud Sails Tow …
PIA03539
Sol (our sun)
Multi-angle Imaging SpectroR …
Title Saharan Dust Cloud Sails Toward U.S.
Original Caption Released with Image A huge dust cloud blown westward from the Algerian desert is now wafting over the southeastern United States. The cloud, about the size of the entire continent, was expected to produce dramatic sunsets and possibly a light coating of red-brown dust on vehicles from Florida to Texas. This image, captured by JPL's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) aboard the NASA Earth Observing System's Terra Satellite on July 20, 2005, shows the dust cloud just off the west coast of Africa near Mauritania and Senegal. The image covers about 1,800 kilometers (1,200 miles) north-south, and 400 kilometers (260 miles) east-west. MISR, which views Earth at nine different angles in four wavelengths, can derive the amount, size and shape of airborne particles. This means it can distinguish desert dust, by far the most common non-spherical atmospheric aerosol, from pollution and forest fire particles, which are typically spherical. This image was taken by MISR's 26 degree forward-viewing camera on Terra Orbit 29724, Path 208, Blocks 69-81. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer [ http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] observes the daylit Earth continuously from pole to pole, and the entire globe about once per week. MISR was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology.
ASTER Suez Canal
PIA02661
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Suez Canal
Original Caption Released with Image One of the most important waterways in the world, the Suez Canal runs north to south across the Isthmus of Suez in northeastern Egypt. This image of the canal covers an area 36 kilometers (22 miles) wide and 60 kilometers (47 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. It shows the northern part of the canal, with the Mediterranean Sea just visible in the upper right corner. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, an arm of the Red Sea. The artificial canal provides an important shortcut for ships operating between both European and American ports and ports located in southern Asia, eastern Africa, and Oceania. With a length of about 195 kilometers (121 miles) and a minimum channel width of 60 meters (197 feet), the Suez Canal is able to accommodate ships as large as 150,000 tons fully loaded. Because no locks interrupt traffic on this sea level waterway, the transit time only averages about 15 hours. ASTER acquired this scene on May 19, 2000. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal, change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER Washington, D.C.
PIA02655
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Washington, D.C.
Original Caption Released with Image The White House, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Washington Monument with its shadow are all visible in this image of Washington, D.C. With its 15-meter spatial resolution, ASTER can see individual buildings. Taken on June 1, 2000, this image covers an area 14 kilometers (8.5 miles) wide and 13.7 kilometers (8.2 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The combination of visible and near infrared bands displays vegetation in red and water in dark grays. The Potomac River flows from the middle left to the bottom center. The large red area west of the river is Arlington National Cemetery. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER Waves
PIA02662
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Waves
Original Caption Released with Image The pattern on the right half of this image of the Bay of Bengal is the result of two opposing wave trains colliding. This ASTER sub-scene, acquired on March 29, 2000, covers an area 18 kilometers (13 miles) wide and 15 kilometers (9 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The visible and near-infrared bands highlight surface waves due to specular reflection of sunlight off of the wave faces. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER Images Mt. Usu Volcano
PIA02608
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Images Mt. Usu Volcano
Original Caption Released with Image On April 3, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra Satellite captured this image of the erupting Mt. Usu volcano in Hokkaido, Japan. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. This false color infrared image of Mt Usu volcano is dominated by Lake Toya, an ancient volcanic caldera. On the south shore is the active Usu volcano. On Friday, March 31, more than 11,000 people were evacuated by helicopter, truck and boat from the foot of Usu, that began erupting from the northwest flank, shooting debris and plumes of smoke streaked with blue lightning thousands of feet in the air. Although no lava gushed from the mountain, rocks and ash continued to fall after the eruption. The region was shaken by thousands of tremors before the eruption. People said they could taste grit from the ash that was spewed as high as 2,700 meters (8,850 ft) into the sky and fell to coat surrounding towns with ash. "Mount Usu has had seven significant eruptions that we know of, and at no time has it ended quickly with only a small scale eruption," said Yoshio Katsui, a professor at Hokkaido University. This was the seventh major eruption of Mount Usu in the past 300 years. Fifty people died when the volcano erupted in 1822, its worst known eruption. In the image, most of the land is covered by snow. Vegetation, appearing red in the false color composite, can be seen in the agricultural fields, and forests in the mountains. Mt. Usu is crossed by three dark streaks. These are the paths of ash deposits that rained out from eruption plumes two days earlier. The prevailing wind was from the northwest, carrying the ash away from the main city of Date. Ash deposited can be traced on the image as far away as 10 kilometers (16 miles) from the volcano. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. Science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in, numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats, monitoring potentially active volcanoes, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, wetlands evaluation, thermal pollution monitoring, coral reef degradation, surface temperature mapping of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER Paris
PIA02660
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Paris
Original Caption Released with Image The Eiffel Tower and its shadow can be seen next to the Seine in the left middle of this ASTER image of Paris. Based on the length of the shadow and the solar elevation angle of 59 degrees, we can calculate its height as 324 meters (1,054 feet), compared to its actual height of 303 meters (985 feet). Acquired on July 23, 2000, this image covers an area 23 kilometers (15 miles) wide and 20 kilometers (13 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. Known as the City of Light, Paris has been extolled for centuries as one of the great cities of the world. Its location on the Seine River, at a strategic crossroads of land and river routes, has been the key to its expansion since the Parisii tribe first settled here in the 3rd century B.C. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties;, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
ASTER-SRTM Perspective of Mo …
PIA02771
Sol (our sun)
ASTER, C-Band Interferometri …
Title ASTER-SRTM Perspective of Mount Oyama Volcano, Miyake-Jima Island, Japan
Original Caption Released with Image Mount Oyama is a 820-meter-high (2,700 feet) volcano on the island of Miyake-Jima, Japan. In late June 2000, a series of earthquakes alerted scientists to possible volcanic activity. On June 27, authorities evacuated 2,600 people, and on July 8 the volcano began erupting and erupted five times over that week. The dark gray blanket covering green vegetation in the image is the ash deposited by prevailing northeasterly winds between July 8 and 17. This island is about 180 kilometers (110 miles) south of Tokyo and is part of the Izu chain of volcanic islands that runs south from the main Japanese island of Honshu. Miyake-Jima is home to 3,800 people. The previous major eruptions of Mount Oyama occurred in 1983 and 1962, when lava flows destroyed hundreds of houses. An earlier eruption in 1940 killed 11 people. This image is a perspective view created by combining image data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) aboard NASA's Terra satellite with an elevation model from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Vertical relief is exaggerated, and the image includes cosmetic adjustments to clouds and image color to enhance clarity of terrain features. The ASTER instrument is a cooperative project between NASA, JPL, and the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Elevation data used in this image was acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11,2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) of the U.S. Department of Defense(DoD), and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise,Washington, DC. Size: Island is approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) in diameter Location: 34.1 deg. North lat., 139.5 deg. East lon. Orientation: View toward the west-southwest. Image Data: ASTER visible and near infrared Date Acquired: February 20, 2000 (SRTM), July 17, 2000 (ASTER) Image: NASA/JPL/NIMA/MITI
ASTER Gibraltar
PIA02657
Sol (our sun)
ASTER
Title ASTER Gibraltar
Original Caption Released with Image The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Morocco. This image, acquired on July 5, 2000, covers an area 34 kilometers (21 miles) wide and 59 kilometers (37 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The promontory on the eastern side of the conspicuous Spanish port is the Rock of Gibraltar. Once one of the two classical Pillars of Hercules, the Rock was crowned with silver columns by Phoenician mariners to mark the limits of safe navigation for the ancient Mediterranean peoples. The rocky promontory still commands the western entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. The rocky limestone and shale ridge rises abruptly from the sea, to a maximum elevation of 426 meters (1,398 feet). A British colony, Gibraltar occupies a narrow strip of land at the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It is separated from the Spanish mainland by a neutral zone contained on a narrow, sandy isthmus. Because of its strategic location and formidable topography, Gibraltar serves mainly as a British fortress. Most of its sparse land is taken up by air and naval installations, and the civilian population is small. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. Dr. Anne Kahle at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, is the U.S. science team leader, Moshe Pniel of JPL is the project manager. ASTER is the only high-resolution imaging sensor on Terra. The primary goal of the ASTER mission is to obtain high-resolution image data in 14 channels over the entire land surface, as well as black and white stereo images. With revisit time of between 4 and 16 days, ASTER will provide the capability for repeat coverage of changing areas on Earth's surface. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER will provide scientists, in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring dynamic conditions and temporal change. Examples of applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, potentially active volcanoes, thermal pollution, and coral reef degradation, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, mapping surface temperature of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.
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