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Carbon Monoxide from Asian F …
Intense fires burning in the …
7/30/09
Description Intense fires burning in the boreal forests of northern Asia and North America routinely send up plumes of smoke that darken skies many kilometers away. By the end of July 2009, large fires were burning in both Russia and Alaska. This image tracks the smoke from those fires by illustrating the concentration of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere. The image was made with data collected by the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) sensor on NASA's Terra satellite between July 20 and July 26, 2009. Spots of red show where carbon monoxide concentrations were high, while orange areas point to moderate concentrations. Gray regions indicate places where no measurements were made. The highest concentrations of carbon monoxide are centered over large fire complexes in Russia. Fires in Alaska were also pumping carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is a component of smoke that can be tracked long after the smoke has dispersed enough to no longer be visible. Carbon monoxide helps reveal where smoke's other invisible fine particles and polluting gases end up. These invisible particles and gases, including carbon monoxide, are ingredients in the production of ground-level ozone, a harmful pollutant. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the University of Toronto MOPITT Teams. Caption by Holli Riebeek.
Date 7/30/09
Fires in Yukon Territory, Ca …
Sixty-eight fires were affec …
8/3/09
Description Sixty-eight fires were affecting an estimated 94,107 hectares (232,543 acres) in Canada's Yukon Territory on July 30, 2009, according to the daily situation report from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Several large blazes were pouring out thick smoke plumes when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead and captured this natural-color image. Places where MODIS detected active fire are outlined in red. This image is cropped (at left) along the border with Alaska (visible in large image), where even smokier fires are burning. The smoke from these fires and others in Russia's Far East are veiling the entire Arctic with haze. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption by Rebecca Lindsey.
Date 8/3/09
Wildfires in Alaska's Yukon …
Large fires in eastern Alask …
8/3/09
Description Large fires in eastern Alaska's Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge were billowing out thick plumes of yellowish smoke when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this natural-color image on July 30, 2009. The smoke appears to be relatively close to the ground, in many places, brighter clouds lie over top of the smoke. The large version of the image shows that the smoke covers a wide area of Alaska and western Canada. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption by Rebecca Lindsey.
Date 8/3/09
AGU Press Briefing May 29th: …
Title AGU Press Briefing May 29th: Global Land Ice Measurements from Space. (Dobbin Glacier Zoom 2)
Abstract ASTER images are being used in an ambitious international project to map the extent of the world's glaciers and the rate at which they are changing. High-resolution ASTER images make it possible to distinguish and track small features on glacier surfaces. Images presented by Rick Wessels from Arizona State University showing details of snow and ice of glaciers are contributing to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project, a global consortium led by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Completed 2001-05-22
AGU Press Briefing May 29th: …
Title AGU Press Briefing May 29th: Global Land Ice Measurements from Space. (Dobbin Glacier Zoom 2)
Abstract ASTER images are being used in an ambitious international project to map the extent of the world's glaciers and the rate at which they are changing. High-resolution ASTER images make it possible to distinguish and track small features on glacier surfaces. Images presented by Rick Wessels from Arizona State University showing details of snow and ice of glaciers are contributing to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project, a global consortium led by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Completed 2001-05-22
AGU Press Briefing May 29th: …
Title AGU Press Briefing May 29th: Global Land Ice Measurements from Space. (Dobbin Glacier Zoom)
Abstract ASTER images are being used in an ambitious international project to map the extent of the world's glaciers and the rate at which they are changing. High-resolution ASTER images make it possible to distinguish and track small features on glacier surfaces. Images presented by Rick Wessels from Arizona State University showing details of snow and ice of glaciers are contributing to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project, a global consortium led by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Completed 2001-05-22
AGU Press Briefing May 29th: …
Title AGU Press Briefing May 29th: Global Land Ice Measurements from Space. (Dobbin Glacier Zoom)
Abstract ASTER images are being used in an ambitious international project to map the extent of the world's glaciers and the rate at which they are changing. High-resolution ASTER images make it possible to distinguish and track small features on glacier surfaces. Images presented by Rick Wessels from Arizona State University showing details of snow and ice of glaciers are contributing to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project, a global consortium led by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Completed 2001-05-22
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthq …
Title Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes
Abstract In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.
Completed 2004-07-30
Alaska's Spring Thaw
Title Alaska's Spring Thaw
Description Alaska gradually thawed over the month of May as spring's warmth crept north. The melting snow and thawing ice filled the Yukon River until it bulged over its banks with runoff when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the left image on May 23, 2006. Two weeks later, on June 5, the floods had drained and the Innoko River near Holy Cross, Alaska, was flooded. These images have been enhanced using MODIS' observations of shortwave and near-infrared energy to make it possible to see the transition on the surface from frozen to liquid water. On May 23, snow (light blue) still dusts the mountains around the river and chunks of light blue ice cling to the river's banks. Despite these signs of winter, most of the land and river are free of snow and ice. Just two weeks earlier, on May 10, the whole region had been frozen, and the rapid melt-off is evident in the swollen Yukon River. By June 5, nearly all of the snow was gone. Though clouds cover the mountains in the northwest, the ground beneath shows only traces of snow.The flooding in the upper reaches of the Yukon River has subsided, but the Innoko River, a tributary of the Yukon, is now flooded, the liquid water an inky black. The melting snow has revealed patches of dark red where widespread fire has charred the landscape. In the summers of 2004 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12414 ] and 2005 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13008 ], millions of acres of Alaska's forest burned in lightning-ignited fires. In this image, burn scars range form very red, likely more recent or more severe burns, to pinkish, likely older or less severe burns. NASA images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Alaska's Spring Thaw
Title Alaska's Spring Thaw
Description Alaska gradually thawed over the month of May as spring's warmth crept north. The melting snow and thawing ice filled the Yukon River until it bulged over its banks with runoff when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the left image on May 23, 2006. Two weeks later, on June 5, the floods had drained and the Innoko River near Holy Cross, Alaska, was flooded. These images have been enhanced using MODIS' observations of shortwave and near-infrared energy to make it possible to see the transition on the surface from frozen to liquid water. On May 23, snow (light blue) still dusts the mountains around the river and chunks of light blue ice cling to the river's banks. Despite these signs of winter, most of the land and river are free of snow and ice. Just two weeks earlier, on May 10, the whole region had been frozen, and the rapid melt-off is evident in the swollen Yukon River. By June 5, nearly all of the snow was gone. Though clouds cover the mountains in the northwest, the ground beneath shows only traces of snow.The flooding in the upper reaches of the Yukon River has subsided, but the Innoko River, a tributary of the Yukon, is now flooded, the liquid water an inky black. The melting snow has revealed patches of dark red where widespread fire has charred the landscape. In the summers of 2004 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12414 ] and 2005 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13008 ], millions of acres of Alaska's forest burned in lightning-ignited fires. In this image, burn scars range form very red, likely more recent or more severe burns, to pinkish, likely older or less severe burns. NASA images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Alaska's Spring Thaw
Title Alaska's Spring Thaw
Description Alaska gradually thawed over the month of May as spring's warmth crept north. The melting snow and thawing ice filled the Yukon River until it bulged over its banks with runoff when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the left image on May 23, 2006. Two weeks later, on June 5, the floods had drained and the Innoko River near Holy Cross, Alaska, was flooded. These images have been enhanced using MODIS' observations of shortwave and near-infrared energy to make it possible to see the transition on the surface from frozen to liquid water. On May 23, snow (light blue) still dusts the mountains around the river and chunks of light blue ice cling to the river's banks. Despite these signs of winter, most of the land and river are free of snow and ice. Just two weeks earlier, on May 10, the whole region had been frozen, and the rapid melt-off is evident in the swollen Yukon River. By June 5, nearly all of the snow was gone. Though clouds cover the mountains in the northwest, the ground beneath shows only traces of snow.The flooding in the upper reaches of the Yukon River has subsided, but the Innoko River, a tributary of the Yukon, is now flooded, the liquid water an inky black. The melting snow has revealed patches of dark red where widespread fire has charred the landscape. In the summers of 2004 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12414 ] and 2005 [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13008 ], millions of acres of Alaska's forest burned in lightning-ignited fires. In this image, burn scars range form very red, likely more recent or more severe burns, to pinkish, likely older or less severe burns. NASA images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Ash Plume from Karymsky
Title Ash Plume from Karymsky
Description According to the weekly volcano report issued by the Smithsonian and the U.S Geological Survey for April 26-May 2, 2006, [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/#karymsky ] the Karymsky Volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia experienced intermittent eruptive activity during the period, with ash plumes rising about 3.8 kilometers (12,500 feet above surface level) into the air. At the time of the report, the volcano remained at Concern Code Orange. [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/color_codes.php ] This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite, captured on May 4, 2006, shows ash from the volcano fanned out across the snowy terrain. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team.
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/ ]
Deadly Earthquake, Xianjing …
Title Deadly Earthquake, Xianjing Province, China
Description A destructive earthquake of magnitude 6.4 rattled China?s Xinjiang province at 10:04 AM (local time) on February 24, 2003. Over 250 people were killed. This remote, flat, and mostly featureless area of western China (called the Tarim Basin by geologists) is different from most other regions with frequent earthquakes. Typical seismically active areas are mountainous, like Alaska and coastal California, and lie along the boundaries of tectonic plates. In contrast, the Tarim Basin (which lies on the Eurasian Plate) remains flat while it is being squeezed by the motion of the Indian Plate?which is 1000 km (620 miles) away. Instead of deforming into belts of mountain ranges, the Tarim Basin is transmitting force applied by the Indian Plate to the interior of Asia, where the Tian Shan mountains are rising. The Tian Shan can be seen at the top edge of the large image. The approximate epicenter of the earthquake is represented by a white dot in this image, acquired on August 29, 2001, (before the earthquake) by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). ASTER is an instrument aboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. The false-color image combines near-infrared, red, and green wavelengths. Crops, almost certainly irrigated, appear red in this scene, while barren landscape appears brown. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
High Winds and Dust in South …
Title High Winds and Dust in Southern Alaska
Description The rivers that empty into the Gulf of Alaska along the state?s southern coast carry large volumes of fine glacial silt?fine sediments produced by glaciers grinding down the mountains. This glacial silt gets deposited along river banks, in sandbars, and at the terminus of glaciers, giving the deltas of the southern coastal rivers a silvery-gray appearance in satellite imagery. An early retreat of snow cover this year exposed these piles of silt to the brunt of a strong northerly wind in the second week of March 2003, producing streamers of dust that reached out over the Gulf of Alaska. This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from the Terra satellite on March 13 shows three different plumes. The largest, central stream is emanating from the Copper River Delta. The thinner stream to its east is coming from the silt at the terminus of the Bering Glacier. The third, and smallest plume, tucked over against the far right edge of the high-resolution image, is dust from the terminus of the Malaspina Glacier. Other sources of blowing dust were sand and silt put down on snow-packed roadways earlier in the winter. The winds driving the dust were severe, with gusts up to 99 miles per hour (mph) measured on the ground. Control towers at the Anchorage Airport measured gusts of 109 mph, and the airport was closed for nine hours as a result. Numerous injuries and damages were reported across the region. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Dust Storm out of Northern A …
Title Dust Storm out of Northern Africa
Description On March 29, 2007, the Shiveluch Volcano (sometimes spelled Sheveluch) on the Russian Federation's Kamchatka Peninsula erupted. According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo ] the volcano underwent an explosive eruption between 01:50 and 2:30 UTC, sending an ash cloud skyward roughly 9,750 meters (32,000 feet), based on visual estimates. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture at 02:00 UTC on March 29. The top image shows the volcano and its surroundings. The bottom image shows a close-up view of the volcano at 250 meters per pixel. Satellites often capture images of volcanic ash plumes, but usually as the plumes are blowing away. Plumes have been observed blowing away from Shiveluch [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14078 ] before. This image, however, is different. At the time the Aqua satellite passed overhead, the eruption was recent enough (and the air was apparently still enough) that the ash cloud still hovered above the summit. In this image, the bulbous cloud casts its shadow northward over the icy landscape. Volcanic ash eruptions inject particles into Earth's atmosphere. Substantial eruptions of light-reflecting particles can reduce temperatures and even affect atmospheric circulation. Large eruptions impact climate patterns [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Volcano/ ] for years. A massive eruption of the Tambora Volcano [ http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/03oct_novarupta.htm ] in Indonesia in 1815, for instance, earned 1816 the nickname "the year without a summer."Shiveluch [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1000-27= ] is a stratovolcano—a steep-sloped volcano composed of alternating layers of solidified ash, hardened lava, and volcanic rocks. One of Kamchatka's largest volcanoes, it sports a summit reaching 3,283 meters (10,771 feet). Shiveluch is also one of the peninsula's most active volcanoes, with an estimated 60 substantial eruptions in the past 10,000 years. You can download a 250-meter-resolution KMZ file of the North African dust storm [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Mar2007/nafrica_tmo_2007087.kmz ] for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team.
Ice in the Beaufort Sea
Title Ice in the Beaufort Sea
Description From the time Europeans discovered the North American continent to the mid-twentieth century, sailors searched for a northwest passage that would connect the Atlantic Ocean (and Europe) to the Pacific Ocean (and Asia). No such passage exists through the continent, but during the summer, a northwest route through the Arctic opens up. By sailing around Greenland, threading the islands of the Canadian Arctic, and skimming along the Canadian and Alaska northern shores, a ship traveling from Europe to East Asia can save as much as 4,000 kilometers. However, the Northwest Passage is not a viable shipping route most of the year. During the winter, thick sea ice builds up, blocking the passage of all ships. Even during the summer, when the sea ice has melted or thinned, icebreakers must often accompany ships through the passage. The challenges of navigating the Northwest Passage are evident in these photo-like images of the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska and Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories. Though the passage is often clear by the end of July, as it was in 2005 (lower image), the sea was still frozen almost to the shore by July 25, 2006 (top). Very little of the inky, blue-black sea is visible under the white expanse of ice. The ice is not smooth, rather, slightly darker areas show where new ice has formed around chunks of older ice from previous years. The section of the Beaufort Sea that is visible in the top image is clouded with brown sediment flowing into the water from the Mackenzie River. There are several reasons for the lingering ice, says Walt Meier of the National Snow and Ice Data Center. First, temperatures in the region dropped below average in the fall of 2005 and remained cool, so sea ice was able to form quickly. Record melting during 2005 allowed old, thick ice from the north to drift into the Beaufort Sea. Some of this old ice may still be in the sea, frozen among the new ice that formed over the winter. Finally, wind is probably pushing yet more ice toward the shore. Though there was more ice in the Beaufort Sea at the end of July 2006 than there had been in previous years, the Arctic as a whole continued to melt at an ever-quickening pace. By June 2006, sea ice in the Arctic covered 1.2 million fewer square kilometers than the long-term average measured between 1979 and 2000, said Meier. This put sea ice concentrations (the percentage of ice that covers a predefined area) at a record low for June, breaking the record set in June 2005, during which sea ice extent was down 0.8 million square kilometers from the average. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured these images on July 25, 2006, and July 25, 2005. The large images provide above are at MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. Both the 2005 and 2006, images are available in additional resolutions from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Ice Types in the Beaufort Se …
Title Ice Types in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska
Description browse image, of orbit 6663 (420 KB JPEG) Determining the amount and type of sea ice in the polar oceans is crucial to improving our knowledge and understanding of polar weather and long term climate fluctuations. These views from two satellite remote sensing instruments, the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) on board the RADARSAT satellite and the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), illustrate different methods that may be used to assess sea ice type. Sea ice in the Beaufort Sea off the north coast of Alaska was classified and mapped in these concurrent images acquired March 19, 2001 and mapped to the same geographic area. To identify sea ice types, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ice Center constructs ice charts using several data sources including RADARSAT SAR images such as the one shown at left. SAR classifies sea ice types primarily by how the surface and subsurface roughness influence radar backscatter. In the SAR image, white lines delineate different sea ice zones as identified by the National Ice Center. Regions of mostly multiyear ice (A) are separated from regions with large amounts of first year and younger ice (B-D), and the dashed white line at bottom marks the coastline. In general, sea ice types that exhibit increased radar backscatter appear bright in SAR and are identified as rougher, older ice types. Younger, smoother ice types appear dark to SAR. Near the top of the SAR image, however, red arrows point to bright areas in which large, crystalline "frost flowers" have formed on young, thin ice, causing this young ice type to exhibit an increased radar backscatter. Frost flowers are strongly backscattering at radar wavelengths (cm) due to both surface roughness and the high salinity of frost flowers, which causes them to be highly reflective to radar energy. Surface roughness is also registered by MISR, although the roughness observed is at a different spatial scale. Older, rougher ice areas are predominantly backward scattering to the MISR cameras, whereas younger, smoother ice types are predominantly forward scattering. The MISR map at right was generated using a statistical classification routine (called ISODATA) and analyzed using ice charts from the National Ice Center. Five classes of sea ice were found based upon the classification of MISR angular data. These are described, based on interpretation of the SAR image, by the image key. Very smooth ice areas that are predominantly forward scattering are colored red. Frost flowers are largely smooth to the MISR visible band sensor and are mapped as forward scattering. Areas mapped as blue are predominantly backward scattering, and the other three classes have statistically distinct angular signatures and fall within the middle of the forward/backward scattering continuum. Some areas that may be first year or younger ice between the multi year ice floes are not discernible to SAR, illustrating how MISR potentially can make a unique contribution, to sea ice mapping. 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 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 orbit 6663. The MISR image has been cropped to include an area that is 200 kilometers wide, and utilizes data from blocks 30 to 33 within World Reference System-2 path 71. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] RADARSAT image courtesy NOAA Satellite Active Archive. Figure reprinted courtesy of IEEE.
Ice Types in the Beaufort Se …
Title Ice Types in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska
Description browse image, of orbit 6663 (420 KB JPEG) Determining the amount and type of sea ice in the polar oceans is crucial to improving our knowledge and understanding of polar weather and long term climate fluctuations. These views from two satellite remote sensing instruments, the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) on board the RADARSAT satellite and the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), illustrate different methods that may be used to assess sea ice type. Sea ice in the Beaufort Sea off the north coast of Alaska was classified and mapped in these concurrent images acquired March 19, 2001 and mapped to the same geographic area. To identify sea ice types, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ice Center constructs ice charts using several data sources including RADARSAT SAR images such as the one shown at left. SAR classifies sea ice types primarily by how the surface and subsurface roughness influence radar backscatter. In the SAR image, white lines delineate different sea ice zones as identified by the National Ice Center. Regions of mostly multiyear ice (A) are separated from regions with large amounts of first year and younger ice (B-D), and the dashed white line at bottom marks the coastline. In general, sea ice types that exhibit increased radar backscatter appear bright in SAR and are identified as rougher, older ice types. Younger, smoother ice types appear dark to SAR. Near the top of the SAR image, however, red arrows point to bright areas in which large, crystalline "frost flowers" have formed on young, thin ice, causing this young ice type to exhibit an increased radar backscatter. Frost flowers are strongly backscattering at radar wavelengths (cm) due to both surface roughness and the high salinity of frost flowers, which causes them to be highly reflective to radar energy. Surface roughness is also registered by MISR, although the roughness observed is at a different spatial scale. Older, rougher ice areas are predominantly backward scattering to the MISR cameras, whereas younger, smoother ice types are predominantly forward scattering. The MISR map at right was generated using a statistical classification routine (called ISODATA) and analyzed using ice charts from the National Ice Center. Five classes of sea ice were found based upon the classification of MISR angular data. These are described, based on interpretation of the SAR image, by the image key. Very smooth ice areas that are predominantly forward scattering are colored red. Frost flowers are largely smooth to the MISR visible band sensor and are mapped as forward scattering. Areas mapped as blue are predominantly backward scattering, and the other three classes have statistically distinct angular signatures and fall within the middle of the forward/backward scattering continuum. Some areas that may be first year or younger ice between the multi year ice floes are not discernible to SAR, illustrating how MISR potentially can make a unique contribution, to sea ice mapping. 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 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 orbit 6663. The MISR image has been cropped to include an area that is 200 kilometers wide, and utilizes data from blocks 30 to 33 within World Reference System-2 path 71. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://www-misr.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] RADARSAT image courtesy NOAA Satellite Active Archive. Figure reprinted courtesy of IEEE.
Islands of the Four Mountain …
Title Islands of the Four Mountains
Description In the northern Pacific Ocean off the southwest coast of Alaska, the planet is building new land. Arcing southwestward from Alaska like the tail of a kite, the Aleutian Islands are a string of active and dormant volcanoes fed by magma created by the collision of the Pacific Plate with the North American Plate. [ http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eastern/plates.html ] In the northeast part of the range, a cluster of summits known as the Islands of the Four Mountains is home to Cleveland Volcano, one of the Aleutians' most frequently active volcanoes. This image of the central part of the Islands of the Four Mountains group was captured 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 July 27, 2007. In the center of the image, Cleveland Volcano is connected to Chuginadak Volcano by a thin strip of land that appears to be barely above sea level in places. Together these mountains make up Chuginadak Island. Vegetation on the lower slopes of the mountains is bright green, while bare rock is charcoal-colored. Even so late in the summer, snow streaks the summits. Although no ash clouds or fresh lava flows are visible, more subtle signs of recent activity at Cleveland Volcano do exist. A close-up view of the summit (lower image) shows a cloud that aerial photography confirmed was a steam plume. The other obvious sign of recent activity is the near absence of snow on the mountain. Cleveland's slopes are almost completely bare, while neighboring summits—all of which are lower in elevation—are capped with snow. Heat from the volcano frequently melts the snow pack on Cleveland. Scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/ ] keep track of activity in the Aleutian Islands for scientific and practical purposes: ash eruptions can create hazards for airplanes, which frequently pass through the area on their way from North America to Asia and Europe. The scientists use a combination of seismic data, Webcams, field visits, aerial photography, and satellite observations to do their jobs. At the time it captured this image, ASTER also collected thermal infrared data (not pictured) that documented that the crater was still warm (41 degrees Celsius, or 106 Fahrenheit) when Terra passed overhead. You can download a 15-meter-resolution KMZ file of the Islands of the Four Mountains [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/aleutians_ast_2007178.kmz ] suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Klyuchevskaya Volcano
Title Klyuchevskaya Volcano
Description A thick plume of brown ash streamed southeast from the summit of the Klyuchevskaya Volcano on Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on June 3, 3007, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this photo-like image. The volcano's status had just been downgraded from "red," meaning that the volcano is either erupting or will soon erupt, putting significant amounts of ash into the atmosphere, to "orange," meaning that activity at the volcano is elevated, but it isn't putting very much ash into the atmosphere. This color code was devised to advise airline pilots of the risk of flying over a volcano. Since fine volcanic ash can clog jet engines and shut them down, pilots avoid plumes of volcanic ash. Klyuchevskaya's May eruption had diverted several flights away from the North Pacific, reported the Alaska Volcano Observatory. [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/ ] On June 3, when this image was taken, the explosive activity had subsided somewhat, but the volcano was still highly active. In the large image, Klyuchevskaya's northern neighbor, Sheveluch, also shows signs of activity. A red box marks the location of a hot spot on the volcano's peak, hot lava extruding from the top of the dome, according to the Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team. [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo ] The MODIS Rapid Response System provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Kliuchevskoi/2007154/Kliuchevskoi.2007154.terra ] of the volcano. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Lack of Snow Drives Iditarod …
Title Lack of Snow Drives Iditarod North
Description For the first time in its history, the route of the famous Iditarod dogsled race in Alaska has been driven over 200 miles northward due to lack of snow. Unusually warm and rainy conditions for late winter have melted snow cover and thawed out numerous frozen rivers along the southern slopes of the Alaska Range Mountains, usually the first major hurdle of the 1,000+-mile adventure. The race usually begins in Anchorage, on the northeast shore of Cook Inlet (bottom left) on the south-central Alaskan coast and follows a northwestward trail across tundra braided with frozen rivers before climbing into the Alaska Range Mountains. The trail crests the ridgeline at Rainy Pass, less than 100 miles southeast of Mt. McKinley (Denali), whose towering summit casts a pointed, blue shadow just right of image center. This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on February 16, 2003, shows the bare terrain surrounding Anchorage. The participants, called mushers, would have had to cross the virtually snow free-terrain and pass over rivers whose normal layer of winter ice was melting, slushy, or in some cases, absent. Bowing to nature's early spring, race organizers decided to have the ceremonial start of the race in Anchorage as usual, but to begin the actual trek in Fairbanks (located in the top right quadrant, at the second "hump" in the river flowing in from the east). The new stretch of trail will follow the Chena River westward out of Fairbanks to the Tanana River and beyond to the Yukon River (flowing in from top center). The trail traverses central Alaska and dips southward with the Yukon, before veering northward once again and hugging the coast of the Norton Sound as it approaches the finish line in Nome, at the shores of the Bering Sea. The Iditarod commemorates the days when dogsled was the only means of travel across the great, frozen expanse of Alaska. Supplies and mail went into the Alaskan interior via the Iditarod Trail. Perhaps the most memorable run was in 1925 when a series of mushers traveled virtually non-stop for a week to deliver anti-toxin serum to Nome to combat a devastating diphtheria epidemic that threatened to kill most of the town. This year's rerouting of the race actually covers most of the terrain of that historic 1925 serum run. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. This image is a combination of morning observations from the Terra satellite and afternoon observations from the Aqua satellite. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Eruption on Augustine Island …
Title Eruption on Augustine Island, Alaska
Description Alaska's Augustine Volcano continued erupting in late January 2006. According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu ], the volcano entered a state of continuos eruption on January 28. On January 30, a flight over the volcano showed a volcanic plume reaching approximately 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level and extending 150 kilometers (90 miles) to the north. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on January 30, 2006. Although clouds cover much of the region, the volcano's plume can still be seen billowing away toward the northeast. Considered the most active volcano in the eastern Aleutian arc, Augustine experienced its largest historical eruption in 1883 when the volcano's dome collapsed. It erupted again in 1986, producing an avalanche of ash, rock fragments, and gas. Augustine's oldest dated volcanic rocks are more than 40,000 years old. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Eruption on Augustine Island …
Title Eruption on Augustine Island, Alaska
Description The Augustine Volcano in Alaska continued erupting on February 2, 2006. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu ] reported a continuous plume of volcanic ash emitting from the volcano, accompanied by low-level explosions and pyroclastic flows of hot ash and rock fragments. The observatory warned that sudden eruptions producing ash clouds as high as 7,600 meters (25,000 feet) could occur without warning. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on February 2, 2006. The Augustine Volcano can be distinguished partly by the red outline, indicating a ground surface much hotter than its surroundings. The volcano's ash plume is pale gray-beige, barely darker than the nearby clouds. However, the clouds can be discerned from the ash by their distinct dot-like pattern. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Eruption on Augustine Island …
Title Eruption on Augustine Island, Alaska
Description Hot pyroclastic flows (avalanches of hot ash, pumice, rock and volcanic gas) poured down the side of the Augustine Volcano in the early hours of February 1, 2006, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] took this image. This nighttime view of the volcano shows the eruption in terms of heat from the thermal infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The hot flows glow white in contrast to the cold, snow-covered land surrounding them. Ash and steam rise from the volcano, the ash tinting the plume grey-blue. Around Augustine Island, the ocean is warmer than the land surface and so appears white, while clouds are a dingy white and grey. Sitting in Cook Inlet of southern Alaska, the Augustine volcano is the most active volcano in the Eastern Aleutian arc. According to the Global Volcanism Program [ http://www.volcano.si.edu ], explosive activity at the volcano began on January 11, 2006. Hourly updates on the eruption are available from the Alaska Volcano Observatory [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Augustine.php ]. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team
Eruption on Augustine Island …
Title Eruption on Augustine Island, Alaska
Description Alaska's Augustine Volcano started 2006 with a bang, producing explosive eruptions in mid-January. The volcano had quieted by March 2006, although the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) [ http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Augustine.php ] warned that explosive eruptions could still occur at any time. The volcano continued a fairly similar behavior pattern in April. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA 's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this image on April 18, 2006. According to the AVO, Augustine's seismic activity jumped that day. The volcano continued its customary steam plume, and light winds allowed the plume to rise directly above the summit about 300 to 600 meters (1,000 to 2,000 feet). This image shows the steam plume flowing from the summit in the south. The cloudy form to the north could be cloud, or a steam plume from the volcano's pyroclastic flow deposits—hot rock fragments and ash. Augustine Volcano is considered the most active volcano in the eastern Aleutian arc. Its biggest historical eruption occurred in 1883 when the volcano's dome collapsed. The volcano erupted again in 1986, producing an avalanche of ash, rock fragments, and gas. Augustine's activity spans a longer time span than historical records cover, and its oldest dated volcanic rocks are more than 40,000 years old. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
Fires Across Alaska
Title Fires Across Alaska
Description In central Alaska in late July 2005, dozens of large, smoky fires were burning along the length of the Yukon River, spanning nearly the entire west-east extent of the state. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite shows how thick the smoke was over the region on July 27. Locations where MODIS detected actively burning fires are marked in red. During the latter half of the week, winds were from the northeast, causing smoke to pool in the central part of the state and leading to air quality warnings. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Fires Across Alaska
Title Fires Across Alaska
Description Fires continued to blaze across Alaska on August 16, 2005. According to the daily situation report from the Alaska Fire Service, 110 fires were burning in the state as of August 16. Weather conditions were causing the smoke to linger across the interior, causing unhealthy air quality warnings for much of the state. The report stated that 584 fires had burned more than 3 million acres in Alaska as of August 16. This image of fires (marked in red) and thick smoke over the interior of Alaska was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides this image at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?AERONET_Bonanza_Creek/2005228/ ] NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires Across Alaska
Title Fires Across Alaska
Description On August 14, 2005, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this stunning image of forest fires raging across the width of Alaska. Smoke from scores of fires (marked in red) filled the state's broad central valley and poured out to sea. Hemmed in by mountains to the north and the south, the smoke spreads westward and spills out over the Bering and Chukchi Seas (image left). More than a hundred fires were burning across the state as of August 14. Air quality warnings have been issued for about 90 percent of the Interior, according to the August 12 report from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Air Quality. Conditions have ranged from "very unhealthy" to "hazardous " over the weekend in many locations, including Fairbanks. A large area of high atmospheric pressure spread over much of the state, keeping temperatures high and reducing winds that would clear the air. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description On May 28, 2002, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) captured this image of fires that continue to burn in central Alaska. Alaska is very dry and warm for this time of year, and has experienced over 230 wildfires so far this season. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of the scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapid Response Image Gallery. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description Heavy smoke coming from forest fires around Fairbanks, Alaska, has drifted south and appears to be lined up with the clouds at the bottom of the image. The fire just right of center is the MP 78 Elliott Highway Fire, and to its east is the West Fork Chena Fire. Both of the fires continue to spread, crossing rivers and roads, and threatening structures. This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on May 27, 2002. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of the scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapid Response Image Gallery. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description MODIS detected several fires burning in Alaska on May 24, 2002. At the bottom of the image, the Alaska Range is still covered in snow. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of this scene at the sensor's fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapidfire site. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description Unusually hot and dry for this time of year, Alaska is experiencing several large, intense wildfires as a result. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) from May 26, 2002, shows heavy smoke choking the air for several hundred miles around Fairbanks. Though hidden by smoke in this image, Fairbanks is located just to the south of (and centered roughly between) the two large clusters of fires (red dots) at upper right.
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description Thick smoke from area forest fires filled the sky over much of central Alaska yesterday and was captured in this iamge from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) on June 18, 2002. This SeaWiFS image also shows dark brown water around the Yukon River Delta. Farther offshore between the delta and St Lawrence Island, the water becomes so highly absorbing in the visible part of the spectrum that the water looks black in this image. Image courtesy the SeaWiFS Project [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html ], NASA GSFC, and ORBIMAGE
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description Thick smoke from area forest fires filled the sky over much of central Alaska yesterday and was captured in this iamge from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) on June 18, 2002. This SeaWiFS image also shows dark brown water around the Yukon River Delta. Farther offshore between the delta and St Lawrence Island, the water becomes so highly absorbing in the visible part of the spectrum that the water looks black in this image. Image courtesy the SeaWiFS Project [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html ], NASA GSFC, and ORBIMAGE
Fires and Heavy Smoke in Ala …
Title Fires and Heavy Smoke in Alaska
Description According to reports from the Alaska Fire Service, 50 active fires are burning in the state as of August 1, 2002. More than 1 million acres have burned so far this year. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from August 1, 2002, shows multiple large fires (red dots) are emitting thick plumes of smoke that are blanketing the southern part of the state. The Yukon River comes in at upper right and flows toward the bottom left of the image. For false-color images that highlight the burned area extent, visit the MODIS Rapid Response System. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
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