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NASA TV's This Week at NASA, …
* With skies overcast skies, …
01/22/2010
Description * With skies overcast skies, the next space shuttle crew set down their T-38s at the Kennedy Space Center, eager to begin their launch dress rehearsal, or Terminal Countdown Demonstration test. The crew will fly aboard space shuttle Endeavour bringing the Tranquility node and its cupola for installation on the International Space Station. The STS-130 mission is scheduled to liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center on Sunday, February 7, at 4:39 a.m. Eastern. * The scheduled launch of NASA's new Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, is drawing near. Its prelaunch briefing, conducted at NASA headquarters in Washington and the Kennedy Space Center, gave media a look at SDO's unprecedented mission to study the sun and its dynamic behavior. * JSC: The next International Space Station crew briefed reporters on their upcoming mission. NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson was joined by Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skyorsov and Mikhail Kornlenko to discuss their upcoming Expedition 23 mission. * Members of the STS-129 crew continued their whirlwind tour of NASA centers. Five members of the space shuttle Atlantis crew thanked employees at the Stennis Space Center for their part in a safe STS-129 mission to the International Space Station in November. * The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity this week celebrates six years of exploration and research on the surface of the red planet. * The most powerful camera aboard the NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars will soon be taking photo suggestions from the public.
Date 01/22/2010
NASA TV's This Week @NASA, A …
The crew of STS-131 returned …
04/23/10
Description The crew of STS-131 returned home to Houston following their fifteen days in space aboard shuttle Discovery. * The first images are in from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, and scientists who study the sun say they are a stunning treasure trove of data about Earth's star. * NASA helped celebrate Earth Day's fortieth anniversary with nine consecutive days of activities and public exhibits on the National Mall in Washington. * Robonaut 2, or R2, as it, or he, is also known, is scheduled to become the first human-like robot to take up permanent residence on the International Space Station. * Hundreds of students from middle schools, high schools, and colleges representing 20 states were in northern Alabama for the annual Space Launch Initiative, or LaunchFest. * The STS-130 crew paid a visit to NASA Headquarters where they played highlights of their February mission to the International Space Station for employees and guests. The six-astronaut crew of space shuttle Endeavour was commanded by George Zamka, Terry Virts was the pilot, Mission Specialists were Nicholas Patrick, Bob Behnken, Steve Robinson and Kay Hire. * On April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Since then, the observatory orbiting 350 miles above Earth has produced hundreds of thousands of unprecedented images of different corners of the universe.
Date 04/23/10
Messenger Briefing (20110616 …
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From left, Brett W. Denevi, …
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date 2011-06-16
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Kepler Discovery (2011020200 …
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William Borucki, Kepler Scie …
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date 2011-02-03
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Brian Cairns, from NASA's Go …
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date 2011-01-25
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Michael Mischenko, from NASA …
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date 2011-01-25
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Joy Bretthauer, Glory Progra …
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date 2011-01-25
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Joy Bretthauer, Glory Progra …
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date 2011-01-25
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Greg Kopp, from the Universi …
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date 2011-01-25
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Bryan Fafaul, Glory Project …
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date 2011-01-25
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Kepler Discovery (2011020200 …
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Debra Fischer, a professor o …
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date 2011-02-03
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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A small model of the Glory e …
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GLORY Mission Press Conferen …
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Joy Bretthauer, Glory Progra …
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date 2011-01-25
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Kepler Discovery (2011020200 …
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Jack Lissauer, a planetary s …
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date 2011-02-03
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Kepler Discovery (2011020200 …
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William Borucki, Kepler Scie …
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date 2011-02-03
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Kepler Discovery (2011020200 …
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Jack Lissauer, a planetary s …
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date 2011-02-03
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Kepler Discovery (2011020200 …
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Douglas Hudgins, a Kepler Pr …
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date 2011-02-03
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Ann Druyan, far right, Creat …
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date 2011-04-28
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Ann Druyan, Creative Directo …
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Merav Opher, right, Voyager …
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Voyager Project Scientist an …
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date 2011-04-28
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Voyager Project Scientist an …
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date 2011-04-28
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Suzanne Dodd, far left, Voya …
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Ann Druyan, Creative Directo …
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NASA Science Update - Voyage …
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Merav Opher, Voyager Guest I …
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date 2011-04-28
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Largest-ever Ozone Hole over …
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A NASA instrument has detect …
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creator NASA -- Image courtesy the TOMS science team & and the Scientific Visualization Studio, NASA GSFC
identifier ozone_still_2000_09_06
Pacific Dictates Droughts an …
PIA05071
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Dictates Droughts and Drenchings
Original Caption Released with Image The latest remote sensing data from NASA's Jason satellite show that the equatorial Pacific sea surface levels are higher, indicating warmer sea surface temperatures in the central and west Pacific Ocean. This pattern has the appearance of La Niña rather than El Niño. This contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and U.S. West Coast where lower-than-normal sea surface levels and cool ocean temperatures continue (indicated by blue and purple areas). The image above is a global map of sea surface height, accurate to within 30 millimeters. The image represents data collected and composited over a 10-day period, ending on Jan 23, 2004. The height of the water relates to the temperature of the water. As the ocean warms, its level rises, and as it cools, its level falls. Yellow and red areas indicate where the waters are relatively warmer and have expanded above sea level, green indicates near normal sea level, and blue and purple areas show where the waters are relatively colder and the surface is lower than sea level. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, whereas the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. (For more details, visit the Jason Website [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].) The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov.
NASA Data Helps Track Heat P …
PIA06342
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title NASA Data Helps Track Heat Potential Fueling Rita
Original Caption Released with Image Tropical Cyclone Heat Potential (TCHP) field in the Gulf of Mexico during September 22, 2005. The path of Hurricane Rita is indicated with circles spaced every 3 hours with their size and color representing intensity (see legend). This hurricane intensified to category 5 as it traveled over the Loop Current and a warm core ring (the finger of red and yellow). Rita diminished to category 3 as its path went over a region of lower TCHP (and cooler waters) outside the Loop Current and ring. The diamonds indicate the National Hurricane Center predicted track and intensity as it makes landfall, and are spaced by 24 hours. Altimeter data on NASA's Jason-1, the US Navy's GFO, and the European Envisat satellites provide sea surface height data used in generating the TCHP fields. The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].)
Rita Roars Through a Warm Gu …
PIA06428
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Rita Roars Through a Warm Gulf (September 21, 2005)
Original Caption Released with Image This sea surface height map of the Gulf of Mexico, with the Florida peninsula on the right and the Texas-Mexico Gulf Coast on the left, is based on altimeter data from four satellites including NASA?s Topex/Poseidon and Jason. Red indicates a strong circulation of much warmer waters, which can feed energy to a hurricane. This area stands 35 to 60 centimeters (about 13 to 23 inches) higher than the surrounding waters of the Gulf. The actual track of a hurricane is primarily dependent upon steering winds, which are forecasted through the use of atmospheric models. However, the interaction of the hurricane with the upper ocean is the primary source of energy for the storm. Hurricane intensity is therefore greatly affected by the upper ocean temperature structure and can exhibit explosive growth over warm ocean currents and eddies. Eddies are currents of water that run contrary to the direction of the main current. According to the forecasted track through the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Rita will continue crossing the warm waters of a Gulf of Mexico circulation feature called the Loop Current and then pass near a warm-water eddy called the Eddy Vortex, located in the north central Gulf, south of Louisiana. The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].)
Rita Roars Through a Warm Gu …
PIA06427
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Rita Roars Through a Warm Gulf (September 22, 2005)
Original Caption Released with Image This sea surface height map of the Gulf of Mexico, with the Florida peninsula on the right and the Texas-Mexico Gulf Coast on the left, is based on altimeter data from four satellites including NASA?s Topex/Poseidon and Jason. Red indicates a strong circulation of much warmer waters, which can feed energy to a hurricane. This area stands 35 to 60 centimeters (about 13 to 23 inches) higher than the surrounding waters of the Gulf. The actual track of a hurricane is primarily dependent upon steering winds, which are forecasted through the use of atmospheric models. However, the interaction of the hurricane with the upper ocean is the primary source of energy for the storm. Hurricane intensity is therefore greatly affected by the upper ocean temperature structure and can exhibit explosive growth over warm ocean currents and eddies. Eddies are currents of water that run contrary to the direction of the main current. According to the forecasted track through the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Rita will continue crossing the warm waters of a Gulf of Mexico circulation feature called the Loop Current and then pass near a warm-water eddy called the Eddy Vortex, located in the north central Gulf, south of Louisiana. The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].)
Wilma's Trek Through Warm Ca …
PIA03055
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Wilma's Trek Through Warm Caribbean/Gulf Waters
Original Caption Released with Image This sea surface height map of the Gulf of Mexico and the northwestern Caribbean Sea, with the Florida peninsula on the upper right, is based on altimeter data from three satellites including NASA's Jason-1. Red indicates a strong circulation of much warmer waters, which can feed energy to a hurricane. This area stands 35 to 45 centimeters (about 13 to 17 inches) higher than the surrounding waters of the Gulf. The actual track of a hurricane is primarily dependent upon steering winds, which are forecasted through the use of atmospheric models. However, the interaction of the hurricane with the upper ocean is the primary source of energy for the storm. Hurricane intensity is therefore greatly affected by the upper ocean temperature structure and can exhibit explosive growth over warm ocean currents and eddies. According to the forecasted track through the Yucatan Channel, Hurricane Wilma will cross the Yucatan Peninsula and then turn sharply to the northeast, passing over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico circulation feature called the Loop Current on its way towards southeast Florida. The storm may intensify as it passes over the warm water of the Loop Current. The Jason-1 satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. The joint U.S.-French Jason-1 mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason-1 and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Jason-1, see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov ].)
Jason Satellite Observes Mil …
PIA01939
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Jason Satellite Observes Mild El Nino in 2006
Original Caption Released with Image In September 2006, NASA satellite data indicated that El Niño had returned to the tropical Pacific Ocean, although it was relatively weak. As of early October, scientists were not sure if the event would persist, and it was much less intense than the last major El Niño episode, which happened in 1997-1998. That event brought devastating floods to California that cost millions of dollars in damage while severe drought struck Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines. Among the ocean characteristics that signal developing El Niño events is a change in average sea surface height compared to normal sea level. When water warms, it expands a little, which changes its volume slightly. When heat begins to build up in the Pacific during an El Niño event, the sea surface height begins to creep up. NASA observes changes in average sea surface height using its Jason satellite. The image is based on the average of 10 days of data centered on September 15, 2006, compared to the long-term average of observations from 1993-2005. In this image, places where the Pacific sea surface height is higher (warmer) than normal are yellow, orange, and red, and places where the sea surface is lower (cooler) than normal are blue and purple. Green shows where conditions are near normal. The swath of red in the center of the scene reveals that an El Niño was in progress when Jason observed the Pacific. El Niño is a cyclical warming of the ocean waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific that generally occurs every 3 to 7 years. It is linked with changes in air pressure and high-level winds that can affect weather worldwide. Typically peaking during the Northern Hemisphere winter months, El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. It alternates with La Niña, the cooling of ocean waters in the same region of the Pacific. According to Bill Patzert, oceanographer and climatologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, "The present conditions indicate that the intensity of this El Niño is too weak to have a major influence on current weather patterns. But, if the ocean waters continue to warm and spread eastward, this event would likely strengthen, perhaps bringing much-needed rainfall to the southwestern and southeastern United States this winter." The Jason satellite carries a dual-frequency radar altimeter. This instrument beams microwave pulses-at 13.6 and 5.3 Gigahertz, respectively-downward toward the Earth. To determine the ocean's height, the instrument precisely measures the time it takes for the microwave pulses to bounce off the surface and return to the spacecraft. This measure, multiplied by the speed of light, gives the range from the satellite to the ocean surface. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other, space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Science Mission Directorate to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on NASA's ocean surface topography missions, see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] or to view the latest Jason data see http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/science/jason1-quick-look/ [ http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/science/jason1-quick-look/ ].
Pacific Decadal Oscillation
PIA03460
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Original Caption Released with Image Like fall and winter of 2000, this year's Topex/Poseidon satellite data shows that the Pacific ocean continues to be dominated by the strong Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which is larger than the El Niño/La Niña pattern. The data, taken during a ten-day collection cycle ending Oct. 29,2001, show that the near-equatorial ocean has been very quiet in the past year, and sea levels and sea surface temperatures are near normal. Above-normal sea surface heights and warmer ocean temperatures, indicated by the red and white areas, still blanket the far western tropical Pacific and much of the north mid-Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4inches) above normal, white areas show the sea surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal. In the western Pacific, the buildup of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation pattern, first noted by Topex/Poseidon oceanographers more than three years ago, has outlasted both the El Niño and La Niña of the past few years. This warmth contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and the west coast of the United States, where lower than normal sea surface levels and cool ocean temperatures continue, as indicated by the blue areas. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, while the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. According to oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., the striking similarity between data taken in 2000 and the same time period in 2001 indicates that winter weather forecasts for this year will be similar to last year. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see the Topex/Poseidon Web Site [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].
Where is La Niña?
PIA04622
Sol (our sun)
Altimeter
Title Where is La Niña?
Original Caption Released with Image Since the weak El Niño event of last winter, the equatorial Pacific has cooled and oceanographers have been on a La Niña "watch." Thus far, equatorial waters have seesawed between cooling and the present slight warming. Elsewhere, the northern and northeastern Pacific Ocean remains quite cool and sea levels are much lower than normal. These cooler ocean waters off the U.S. West Coast have driven a cooler and foggier spring and early summer along the coast, and guided the North Pacific Jet Stream north, keeping the West and Southwest in the grip of a 5-year drought. Sea-surface heights are a measure of how much heat is stored in the ocean below to influence future planetary climate events. Jason scientists will continue to monitor the Pacific closely for further signs of La Niña formation and intensity, or not. These Jason data were taken during a 10-day collection cycle ending July 3, 2003. The near-equatorial ocean has been very quiet, although sea levels and sea-surface temperatures are near normal or slightly warmer throughout the far western and central equatorial Pacific. Red areas are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal, white areas show the sea-surface height is between 14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal. This slight rise in sea levels (warming) contrasts with the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and U.S. West Coast, where lower-than-normal sea-surface levels (blue areas) and cool ocean temperatures continue. The blue areas are between 5 and 13 centimeters (2 and 5 inches) below normal, and the purple areas range from 14 to 18 centimeters (6 to 7 inches) below normal. The joint U.S.-French Topex/Poseidon mission is managed by the JPL for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Research on Earth's oceans using Jason and other space-based capabilities is conducted by NASA's Earth Science Enterprise to better understand and protect our home planet. For more information on Topex/Poseidon, see http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov ].
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