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Floods in Northern Australia
Title Floods in Northern Australia
Description Floods swept across Australia's Northern Territory as the six-month rainy season drew to a close in April 2006. Worst-affected was the city of Katherine, where water from an overflowing Katherine River reached up to the roofs of houses in some areas, reported the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC). The floods around Katherine had largely subsided when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired the top image on April 10, 2006, but the nearby Daly River was still swollen. Though not visible in this image, the city of Katherine sits along the Katherine River near the point where the label meets the river. The only clear signs of human habitation are brilliant green squares created by agriculture along both rivers. In addition to farm fields, large pools of flood water, inky black in this image, also line the banks of the Daly River. According to ABC News, the river was still rising on April 10, and those who lived in the town of Daly River near the river's mouth, were preparing to evacuate. The lower image, from March 1, 2006, shows the river basin earlier in the rainy season before the floods set in. To track the floods, see the MODIS Rapid Response Web site, where daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2006098 ] of Australia are available. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Northern Australia
Title Floods in Northern Australia
Description Floods swept across Australia's Northern Territory as the six-month rainy season drew to a close in April 2006. Worst-affected was the city of Katherine, where water from an overflowing Katherine River reached up to the roofs of houses in some areas, reported the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC). The floods around Katherine had largely subsided when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired the top image on April 10, 2006, but the nearby Daly River was still swollen. Though not visible in this image, the city of Katherine sits along the Katherine River near the point where the label meets the river. The only clear signs of human habitation are brilliant green squares created by agriculture along both rivers. In addition to farm fields, large pools of flood water, inky black in this image, also line the banks of the Daly River. According to ABC News, the river was still rising on April 10, and those who lived in the town of Daly River near the river's mouth, were preparing to evacuate. The lower image, from March 1, 2006, shows the river basin earlier in the rainy season before the floods set in. To track the floods, see the MODIS Rapid Response Web site, where daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2006098 ] of Australia are available. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Northern Australia
Title Floods in Northern Australia
Description Floods swept across Australia's Northern Territory as the six-month rainy season drew to a close in April 2006. Worst-affected was the city of Katherine, where water from an overflowing Katherine River reached up to the roofs of houses in some areas, reported the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC). The floods around Katherine had largely subsided when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired the top image on April 10, 2006, but the nearby Daly River was still swollen. Though not visible in this image, the city of Katherine sits along the Katherine River near the point where the label meets the river. The only clear signs of human habitation are brilliant green squares created by agriculture along both rivers. In addition to farm fields, large pools of flood water, inky black in this image, also line the banks of the Daly River. According to ABC News, the river was still rising on April 10, and those who lived in the town of Daly River near the river's mouth, were preparing to evacuate. The lower image, from March 1, 2006, shows the river basin earlier in the rainy season before the floods set in. To track the floods, see the MODIS Rapid Response Web site, where daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2006098 ] of Australia are available. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Northern Australia
Title Floods in Northern Australia
Description Northern Australia typically experiences two seasons: wet and dry. The six-month rainy season was wrapping up when torrential rains triggered extensive floods in the Northern Territory in early April 2006. Dark rivers of water measuring kilometers across snaked towards the coast on April 8, 2006, top image, to cover land that had been dry one month earlier. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image, while MODIS on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired the lower image. Both images show the northern tip of Australia's Northern Territory in false color to highlight the presence of water. In these images, water is black and dark blue, clouds are pale blue, and vegetation is green. Not only did the rain trigger floods, but it also nourished plants. Vegetation is far denser in the top image than it had been in March.Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2006098 ] of Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Northern Australia
Title Floods in Northern Australia
Description Northern Australia typically experiences two seasons: wet and dry. The six-month rainy season was wrapping up when torrential rains triggered extensive floods in the Northern Territory in early April 2006. Dark rivers of water measuring kilometers across snaked towards the coast on April 8, 2006, top image, to cover land that had been dry one month earlier. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image, while MODIS on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired the lower image. Both images show the northern tip of Australia's Northern Territory in false color to highlight the presence of water. In these images, water is black and dark blue, clouds are pale blue, and vegetation is green. Not only did the rain trigger floods, but it also nourished plants. Vegetation is far denser in the top image than it had been in March.Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2006098 ] of Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Western Australia
Title Floods in Western Australia
Description Although eight days had passed since Cyclone Emma drenched northwestern Australia, flooding was more dramatic than it had been immediately after the storm came ashore on March 1, 2006. By March 8, top image, upstream floodwater had swollen the web of rivers in the center of the image and spread across the dry landscape. Additional flooding is apparent near the shore along the top of the image, and the cloud of bright blue offshore indicates that mud-laden water is draining into the Indian Ocean. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the floods had stranded or killed cattle in the rural region.Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia1/ ] of northwestern Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Western Australia
Title Floods in Western Australia
Description Although eight days had passed since Cyclone Emma drenched northwestern Australia, flooding was more dramatic than it had been immediately after the storm came ashore on March 1, 2006. By March 8, top image, upstream floodwater had swollen the web of rivers in the center of the image and spread across the dry landscape. Additional flooding is apparent near the shore along the top of the image, and the cloud of bright blue offshore indicates that mud-laden water is draining into the Indian Ocean. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the floods had stranded or killed cattle in the rural region.Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia1/ ] of northwestern Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Western Australia
Title Floods in Western Australia
Description The Murchison River of central Western Australia was still grossly swollen on March 12, 2006, 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. The flooding started when Cyclone Emma dumped heavy rain over the river basin on March 1. Since then, the glut of flood water has steadily made its way downstream, making the river bulge as it went. On March 9, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the river was at its highest level on record, expanding to more than ten kilometers wide in places. In the days following March 12, the flood water was expected to drain into the Indian Ocean through Kalbarri National Park and the city of Kalbarri. In the image, the flood-widened river is a ribbon of blue, particularly in the southwestern reaches of the river. In these areas, the river had been a barely discernable blue line on February 20, lower image, before the cyclone hit. The large images have a resolution of 500 meters per pixel. They are available in additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia4/2006071/Australia4.2006071.terra.721 ], including MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel, from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Western Australia
Title Floods in Western Australia
Description The Murchison River of central Western Australia was still grossly swollen on March 12, 2006, 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. The flooding started when Cyclone Emma dumped heavy rain over the river basin on March 1. Since then, the glut of flood water has steadily made its way downstream, making the river bulge as it went. On March 9, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the river was at its highest level on record, expanding to more than ten kilometers wide in places. In the days following March 12, the flood water was expected to drain into the Indian Ocean through Kalbarri National Park and the city of Kalbarri. In the image, the flood-widened river is a ribbon of blue, particularly in the southwestern reaches of the river. In these areas, the river had been a barely discernable blue line on February 20, lower image, before the cyclone hit. The large images have a resolution of 500 meters per pixel. They are available in additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia4/2006071/Australia4.2006071.terra.721 ], including MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel, from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Drought in Australia
Title Drought in Australia
Description Long-term drought persisted throughout Australia when the normally rainy winter month of August yielded little rain. Most of southern and central Australia received below-average rainfall during the winter, and parts of South Australia and New South Wales recorded their lowest rainfall totals since record-keeping began, said the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics (ABARE) in their September 2007 Crop Report [ http://www.abareconomics.com/publications_html/cr/cr_07/cr07_sept.pdf ] (pdf). This vegetation anomaly image shows the impact of the dry winter on southwestern Australia's grain belt. Though Western Australia received more rain than other parts of the country, conditions were still dry. Regions where plants were growing more slowly or producing fewer leaves than average (as measured between 2000 and 2006) are brown, while better-than-average conditions are green. A sprinkling of green is scattered across crop areas in the south, where ABARE reported that rain fell, while a strip of dark brown points to poor conditions in the northwest. This location, too, corresponds with ABARE reports of scant rainfall in the north. The image was made with data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite between August 13 and August 28, 2007. Rainfall in early September stabilized the winter crops, leading to a predicted yield of 8.7 million tons in the 2007-2008 growing season, an increase from crops produced in 2006-2007, said ABARE. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by Inbal Reshef, Global Agricultural Monitoring Project [ http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/glam.cfm ].
Drought in Southeastern Aust …
Title Drought in Southeastern Australia
Description Global Agricultural Monitoring Project between NASA, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and the University of Maryland., Spring started warm and dry in much of Australia. In addition to high land surface temperatures [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17440 ] in September 2006, many of the country's agricultural areas were facing 6- to 12-month rainfall deficiencies that the Australian Bureau of Meteorology categorized as serious, severe, or lowest on record. In southern Western Australia, one of the country's prime wheat-growing regions, rainfall between April and September was less than half the average amounts. Parts of South Australia, much of Victoria, and south-central New South Wales had been racking up deficits for 9 to 12 months or longer. Severe drought had settled over many areas. This image shows the stress on vegetation—predominantly in croplands—in southeastern Australia. The image compares vegetation greenness data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ], satellite between September 30 and October 15, 2006, to average greenness measured during the same 15-day period from 2000-2005. Satellite vegetation greenness is an indicator of the spatial extent, density, and health of vegetation at the Earth's surface. Places where the greenness was anomalously low are colored brown, places where vegetation was near average are yellow, and the few places where vegetation greenness was higher than average are green. Places where vegetation greenness couldn't be measured, perhaps due to clouds, are colored gray. A wide brown arc reaches from coastal South Australia, eastward through Victoria, and northward into New South Wales. In South Australia, the brown area covers cropland for barley, rapeseed, and wheat. In Victoria, the affected area includes those same crops plus sunflowers. All those same crops are grown in southern New South Wales, but the affected area also includes rice-growing areas. Farther north, closer to the border of Queensland, the brown arc of below-average vegetation conditions covers sorghum- and cotton-growing regions. The rainfall deficits and warm temperatures that are so strongly affecting croplands do not appear to be having as extreme an effect on natural vegetation. For example, at the border of South Australia and Victoria, several roughly rectangular areas show near-average vegetation conditions (yellow). The rectangles of comparatively normal vegetation trace out several National Parks. The brown arc extending from Victoria into New South Wales is inland of The Great Dividing Range Mountains, which follow the coastline of eastern and southeastern Australia. These mountains, home to many parks and protected areas, do a good job of ringing rainfall out of moist air coming in off the ocean, and this coastal area appears not as severely stressed as the inland crop-growing regions. Australia is prone to drought because of its geographic location. Much of Australia lies in a latitude belt that is under the influence of an atmospheric phenomenon known as the subtropical high. Just outside of the tropics in each hemisphere lies a swath of the globe where air frequently sinks toward the Earth's surface from higher in the atmosphere. The air warms and dries as it sinks, creating semi-permanent zones of high air pressure at the surface. These subtropical highs are areas of stable, warm, and dry air that favor clear skies and little rainfall. (In the Northern Hemisphere, several large deserts, including the Sahara, reside in the latitudes of the subtropical high.) Many drought episodes in the eastern and northern part of the Australia are linked to El Niño episodes. A relatively mild El Niño [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17419 ] was underway in late 2006. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by Inbal Reshef as part of the
Drought in Southeastern Aust …
Title Drought in Southeastern Australia
Description Rainfall in southeastern Australia in 2006 was well below average, and average temperatures for the continent in November 2006 hit a record high. The climate punished vegetation across the region. In November 2006, observations of vegetation conditions captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite revealed how vegetation was struggling across much of the region. The image compares conditions in 2006 to the average November conditions from 2000-2005. All the brown areas indicate less abundant vegetation than the average. Only small, faint areas of slightly above-average vegetation conditions (green) are visible in a few locations. Gray areas indicate patches of missing data, perhaps due to persistent clouds or extremely bright soils (such as dry, salt-covered lake beds.) In many cases, areas of natural vegetation fared better than agricultural lands, appearing yellowish (average) or very light brown (slightly below average). In some cases, the locations of national parks are as obvious as if their boundaries had been drawn on the map. For example, in western Victoria, where wheat and other cereal grains are grown, the Little Desert, Grampians (southeast of Little Desert, not labeled), and Otway National Parks stand out as yellow or even yellow-green patches amid the dark brown swath of the croplands. In eastern Victoria and southern New South Wales, the vegetation of the Great Dividing Range Mountains, which run through Alpine and Kosciuszko National Parks, appears to be far closer to average conditions for this time of year than the vegetation in the inland grain-growing areas. This difference isn't surprising since native vegetation is better adapted to Australia's regularly occurring dry spells, whereas crops often depend on irrigation that can be difficult to sustain in drought conditions. The difference in greenness between native vegetation and cropland may not just be because native vegetation is better adapted to drought, however. Research in southwestern Australia indicates that the replacement of dark-colored native vegetation with paler agricultural crops, such as wheat, has changed where rain falls. The large-scale, over-turning motion of heated air (convection) that produces rain clouds occurs less often over croplands than over native vegetation. Models and observations suggest that converting natural vegetation to croplands actually reduced the amount of rainfall in those areas. Perhaps a similar effect has taken place in the region pictured here, as well. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by Inbal Reshef as part of the Global Agricultural Monitoring Project [ http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/glam.cfm ] between NASA, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and the University of Maryland.
Drought in Southeastern Aust …
Title Drought in Southeastern Australia
Description Deep red paints the coastal mountains of southeastern Australia, hangs over the continent's arid interior, and dots much of the rest of the land in this image, indicating that unusually high temperatures reigned in November 2006. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the monthly average temperature for the country hit a record high in November. The average temperature for the continent was 2.11 degrees Celsius warmer than average, with local temperatures rising more than 4 degrees C above average for the month in places. These abnormally high air temperatures are reflected in the extreme land surface temperatures shown in this image. The land is usually much warmer to the touch than the temperature recorded by a thermometer hanging above the ground, and so, during November, land surface temperatures in Australia were as much as 10 degrees Celsius above a five-year average. The greatest deviation from normal temperatures is shown in dark red in this image. Average temperatures are white, and cooler-than-average temperatures are blue. The temperature data were collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. The temperature anomaly was greatest in the Great Dividing Range, which curves along the coasts of Victoria and New South Wales in southeast Australia. The heat and a lack of spring rain may have primed the mountains for devastating wildfires. By the end of December, several large wildfires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14029 ] raced through the mountains, threatening local communities and clouding the skies over much of southeastern Australia with dense smoke. The high temperatures in the Great Dividing Range and elsewhere were just part of an unusually warm and dry spring, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13943 ] which in turn, was an extension of a dry year. Some of the dryness may be linked to a weak El Niñno in the Pacific Ocean. El Niñno is a regular climate pattern during which sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator heat up and trade winds weaken. Though the effects of El Niñno vary, the phenomenon often changes rainfall patterns around the world. In Australia, El Niñno often brings a dry winter and spring. It is also linked to an increase in the number of extreme fire days, during which conditions are hot, dry, and windy. 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.
Dust Storm in the Simpson De …
Title Dust Storm in the Simpson Desert, Australia
Description High winds menaced Australia's residents in late September 2006, damaging buildings along the east coast and damaging crops and homes in South Australia. In the midst of this high-wind activity, a dust storm struck the Simpson Desert. Crossing the borders of three states (Northern Territory, Queensland, and South Australia), the Simpson Desert [ http://www.parks.sa.gov.au/simpson_cp/index.htm ] covers 170,000 square kilometers (about 65,000 square miles) and receives only slightly more rain than the Sahara Desert. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture on September 24, 2006. The MODIS sensor on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the storm a few hours [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2006267-0924/Australia.A2006267.0135.1km.jpg ] earlier. In this image, the dust appears as a buff-colored plume that contrasts with the characteristic deep red soil of Australia's outback. You can also download a 250 m resolution KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Sep2006/Australia2.A2006267.0420.250m.kmz ] (1.2 MB) for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC
Dust Storm near Brisbane, Au …
Title Dust Storm near Brisbane, Australia
Description On November 29, 2006, the Courier Mail news service in Australia reported that the source of "that eerie glow" in the Brisbane area resulted from dust. A dust storm originating along the border between New South Wales and Queensland clogged the skies over the region. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image of the dust storm as it headed toward the Coral Sea on November 30. In this image, the dust appears as a pale tan plume sprawling over the land surface and the clouds along Australia's coast. Tiny red dots in the image are hotspots detected by MODIS, and they indicate fires. It is possible that smoke from local fires has mingled with the dust in this plume. Dry conditions contribute to both dust storms and fires. (A cluster of fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13994 ] burned just south of this storm.) According to the Reuters news service, Australia was already suffering from a drought widely regarded as the country's worst in a century. In early November, officials attending a water summit suggested that the drought might actually be the worst in 1,000 years. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Earthquake Raises Reefs in t …
Title Earthquake Raises Reefs in the Solomon Islands
Description The massive magnitude 8.1 earthquake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17603 ] that jolted the Solomon Islands on April 1, 2007, permanently changed the shoreline on Ranongga Island, west of the epicenter. New beach was added to the western shore of the island when the earthquake lifted the island as much as three meters, exposing near-shore coral reefs, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. [ http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1892185.htm ] The freshly exposed reefs are visible beneath a veil of clouds in the top 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 April 11, 2007. The lower image, taken on March 31, 2006, shows the island's former shoreline. Lush tropical vegetation is red in these images, while the exposed reef is dark grey. Water is black and clouds range from light blue lavender to white. The exposed reef adds tens of meters to most of the shoreline, and more than 150 meters at the tip of the spit of land shown in this image. The earthquake occurred along the plate boundary, where the Australia/Woodlark/Solomon Sea plates slide beneath the denser Pacific plate. Friction between the sinking (subducting) plates and the overriding Pacific plate led to the large earthquake on April 1, said the United States Geological Survey (USGS) summary of the earthquake. [ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2007/us2007aqbk/#summary ] Large earthquakes are common in the region, though the section of the plate that produced the April 1 earthquake had not caused any quakes of magnitude 7 or larger since the early 20th century, said the USGS. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Earthquake Raises Reefs in t …
Title Earthquake Raises Reefs in the Solomon Islands
Description The massive magnitude 8.1 earthquake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17603 ] that jolted the Solomon Islands on April 1, 2007, permanently changed the shoreline on Ranongga Island, west of the epicenter. New beach was added to the western shore of the island when the earthquake lifted the island as much as three meters, exposing near-shore coral reefs, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. [ http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1892185.htm ] The freshly exposed reefs are visible beneath a veil of clouds in the top 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 April 11, 2007. The lower image, taken on March 31, 2006, shows the island's former shoreline. Lush tropical vegetation is red in these images, while the exposed reef is dark grey. Water is black and clouds range from light blue lavender to white. The exposed reef adds tens of meters to most of the shoreline, and more than 150 meters at the tip of the spit of land shown in this image. The earthquake occurred along the plate boundary, where the Australia/Woodlark/Solomon Sea plates slide beneath the denser Pacific plate. Friction between the sinking (subducting) plates and the overriding Pacific plate led to the large earthquake on April 1, said the United States Geological Survey (USGS) summary of the earthquake. [ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2007/us2007aqbk/#summary ] Large earthquakes are common in the region, though the section of the plate that produced the April 1 earthquake had not caused any quakes of magnitude 7 or larger since the early 20th century, said the USGS. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Rainstorms in Central Austra …
Title Rainstorms in Central Australia
Description A persistent low-pressure system sat over Australia's "Red Center" for several days at the end of January and into February 2006, bringing rain to a landscape better known for its dry conditions and parched starkness. Storms are normal phenomena, however, in the Australian monsoon season (locally known as "The Wet"). The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported moderate rain falling through most of the area, with occasional heavy rains of 20-40 millimeters (1-2 inches). While this amount is not an impressive-sounding quantity, sustained over several days, it amounted to considerable rain totals, and streambeds that are typically completely dry filled and overflowed, causing flooding in many areas. The satellite image shows the swirling clouds associataed with the low-pressure system. This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on February 1, 2006, at 01:50 UTC (10:50 a.m. local time). In the southern hemisphere, low-pressure systems develop spiral patterns that wind clockwise around the center of the system because of the rotation of the Earth. (Low-pressure systems spin counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere). This particular system was being fed moisture from the Indian Ocean, where warm seas evaporate water into the air. The moist air was then carried along in a low-pressure frontal system. Called a "monsoon trough," such systems typically bring intense rains of themselves. When the monsoon trough combines with low-pressure systems such as the one pictured here, heavy monsoon rains fall in northern Australia. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Fires in New South Wales, Au …
Title Fires in New South Wales, Australia
Description Several large fires were burning in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, on November 21, 2006. This image from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] shows the active fire locations outlined in red. Thick smoke blows eastward over the Tasman Sea. Northern Sydney is mostly hidden by clouds at bottom center of the scene. According to news reports, winds of 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) were causing fires to spread rapidly. Towns in the mountainous area could be threatened as the fires continued to spread. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images of the area at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6/2006325 ] NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Fires in New South Wales, Au …
Title Fires in New South Wales, Australia
Description Several large fires were burning in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, on November 21, 2006. This image from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] shows the active fire locations outlined in red. Thick smoke blows eastward over the Tasman Sea. Northern Sydney is mostly hidden by clouds at bottom center of the scene. According to news reports, winds of 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) were causing fires to spread rapidly. Towns in the mountainous area could be threatened as the fires continued to spread. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images of the area at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6/2006325 ] NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Fires in New South Wales, Au …
Title Fires in New South Wales, Australia
Description In northeastern New South Wales, a large fire flared up on November 29, 2006, and within a day it had scorched a large area in and around the Pilliga Nature Reserve and State Forests north of the town of Coonabarabran. This trio of images shows the area in photo-like natural color on the morning of November 30 (top), and in infrared-enhanced "false-color" (bottom) on November 29 and November 30. All the images were made from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. Places where the sensor detected actively burning fire are marked in red. In the photo-like image, a huge brownish-gray plume spreads northeast across the border between New South Wales and Queensland near Darling Downs. This plume is most likely dust, perhaps mingled with smoke. A dust storm was brewing over the headwaters of the Darling River on November 29. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6/2006333/Australia6.2006333.terra ] The same windy weather that lofted the dust could have driven the rapid spread of the fire. In the false-color images, unburned vegetation appears bright green, naturally bare or sparsely vegetated ground is pale beige, and burned areas are brick red. Within the red outlines marking the active fires, a bright pink glow often indicates open flame. The largest burned area is at least 25 kilometers wide (about 15.5 miles). According to a news report [ http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1800996.htm ] from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Website, a water-bombing helicopter was brought in to help the Rural Fire Service control the bushfire, which was said to be burning out of control within kilometers of the town of Coonabarabran. Crews are using bulldozers to create firebreaks. As of November 30, the firefighters had established containment lines northwest of the fire. In that town and other small towns in the region, residents were being advised to prepare their properties for the threat of fire. The high-resolution image above is a version of the photo-like image from November 30 at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6 ] of the region in both photo-like and false-color versions at a variety of resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Northern Territory …
Title Fires in Northern Territory and Queensland
Description In late spring 2006, Australia appeared to be in the midst of an active fire season. Throughout the month of November, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] and Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellites captured numerous images of fires burning in northern Queensland's Cape York Peninsula, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13979 ] southern Queensland, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13977 ] New South Wales, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13982 ] and northwestern Australia. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13976 ] This image shows fires and large burn scars near the border of Northern Territory and Queensland on November 27, 2006. Places where Aqua MODIS detected actively burning fires are marked in red. Burned areas appear deep brown compared to the tan colors of the tropical savannas that dominate the landscape of the region. Fires, both natural and human-caused, have been part of the ecosystem here for hundreds, probably thousands of years. Traditional Aboriginal land owners, as well as private and government land owners, use fire to manage agricultural and natural ecosystems in the area. Use of prescribed fire early in the season reduces the risk of more severe fires later in summer. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images of Australia at additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/ ] via a clickable map. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Seasonal Floods in Queenslan …
Title Seasonal Floods in Queensland, Australia
Description Near the eastern border of Australia's dry interior, an intricate network of riverbeds and streams cut across the ancient clay soil, a floodplain that water forgot. Called the Channel Country, the region receives very little rain and only flows with water after summer monsoon rains drench the highland to its north and east. The slow-moving flood drains into the dry streams and rivers, pooling in sometimes-present lakes, such as Lake Yamma Yamma and Lake Eyre. One of the larger channel rivers is Cooper Creek, shown in these images collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on May 4, top, and April 24, 2006, bottom. These images show the channel system that is Cooper Creek as it fills with seasonal floods. On April 14, only the slightest hint of water, traces of green vegetation along the channels, can be seen in Cooper Creek. Lake Yamma Yamma is salt-pan white from mineral-sediment deposit left after its waters have evaporated time and time again. In the large image taken on April 14, the slow-moving flood fills the upstream reaches of Cooper Creek. By May 4, the flood reached the segment of the creek around Lake Yamma Yamma. Blue water defines the channels and has started to spill into the lake. The flood was welcome in the region, which has been in the grip of drought since 2002, reported the Australian Broadcasting Company. The land around Cooper Creek is primarily used as range for livestock. The large images provided above have a resolution of 500 meters per pixel. Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/ ] of Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team in a variety of resolutions, including MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Seasonal Floods in Queenslan …
Title Seasonal Floods in Queensland, Australia
Description Near the eastern border of Australia's dry interior, an intricate network of riverbeds and streams cut across the ancient clay soil, a floodplain that water forgot. Called the Channel Country, the region receives very little rain and only flows with water after summer monsoon rains drench the highland to its north and east. The slow-moving flood drains into the dry streams and rivers, pooling in sometimes-present lakes, such as Lake Yamma Yamma and Lake Eyre. One of the larger channel rivers is Cooper Creek, shown in these images collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on May 4, top, and April 24, 2006, bottom. These images show the channel system that is Cooper Creek as it fills with seasonal floods. On April 14, only the slightest hint of water, traces of green vegetation along the channels, can be seen in Cooper Creek. Lake Yamma Yamma is salt-pan white from mineral-sediment deposit left after its waters have evaporated time and time again. In the large image taken on April 14, the slow-moving flood fills the upstream reaches of Cooper Creek. By May 4, the flood reached the segment of the creek around Lake Yamma Yamma. Blue water defines the channels and has started to spill into the lake. The flood was welcome in the region, which has been in the grip of drought since 2002, reported the Australian Broadcasting Company. The land around Cooper Creek is primarily used as range for livestock. The large images provided above have a resolution of 500 meters per pixel. Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/ ] of Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team in a variety of resolutions, including MODIS' maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description In southwestern Victoria, Australia, a dangerous wildfire was raging on January 24, 2006, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite passed overhead and collected this image. The dark green vegetation of Grampians National Park is shrouded with smoke that drifts hundreds of kilometers to the north before crossing westward into South Australia. The actively burning areas of the fire detected by MODIS are outlined in red. According to a news report [ http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200601/s1553619.htm ] from January 24, more than a dozen houses had been lost in the fire, which had burned more than 90,000 hectares (900 square kilometers, which is a little more than 222,000 acres). NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description The wildfire activity in Victoria, Australia, continued to worsen on Thursday, January 26, 2006. According to news reports, the fire in the Grampians National Park, pictured here, intensified and spotted beyond containment lines that firefighters had created to check the blaze. Numerous, widely scattered "hot spots" are visible in this image, which is made from visible and infrared wavelengths of light detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite on January 26. Red outlines enclose areas where MODIS detected fires, and in this type of image, the bright pink glow usually indicates areas of open flame. Unburned vegetation is bright green, and smoke is blue. The large image shows several additional fires burning in the state, including a large blaze northeast of the coastal city of Melbourne and one farther east in the Gippsland region, both of which have been threatening nearby towns in recent days. A natural-color image from the MODIS Rapid Response Team shows smoke spreading southward toward Tasmania. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description A river of smoke more than 25 kilometers wide flowed southeast toward the Tasman Sea from fires burning in the Great Dividing Range Mountains in Victoria, Australia, on December 5, 2006. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite shows the smoke crossing Ninety Mile Beach and spreading out over the sea. Fires (red outlines) were detected across a broad area of the mountains between Lake Eildon and the Dartmouth Reservoir. According to news reports, 50 fires—most of them in remote forests and parks—were burning out of control across Victoria in early December, and fire conditions were predicted to worsen in subsequent days. Across Australia in 2006, fires sprang up before summer was even officially underway. An ongoing drought and high temperatures have created extremely risky conditions for fires in many parts of the country. In late November and early December, satellites captured numerous images of fires in places as far flung as northwestern Australia and Southern Queensland. (See other images in the Natural Hazards: Fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?topic=fire ] section.) In most of Victoria (among other places in the country), rainfall in the six months preceding the outbreak of these fires was categorized as either at a "severe deficiency" or "lowest on record," according to maps [ http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/rainmaps.cgi ] provided by the Website of the Australian government's Bureau of Meteorology. The Bureau's November 22, 2006, seasonal El Niño-Southern Oscillation update [ http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/ ] indicated that the current El Niño had strengthened throughout November. A strong El Niño could be bad news for firefighters in southeastern Australia. According to the Bureau of Meteorology Website, "El Niño events are associated with an increase in the number of extreme fire-risk days over southeastern Australia, that is, days which are hot, dry and windy." The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6 ] of the area in additional resolutions. A 250-meter-resolution KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/Australia.A2006339.0050.250m.kmz ] of the Victorian fires is available for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Huge clouds of smoke from numerous fires in Victoria billowed over the state and into neighboring New South Wales on December 7, 2006. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite shows active fire locations that MODIS detected outlined in red. Brownish-gray smoke hides the mountains where the fires were burning. Much of the area is park and reserve land, and it is rugged and remote, making control difficult. Fire behavior was extreme, according to fire officials, heat generated by the fires caused strong updrafts that picked up embers and spread them in all direction. Fire activity was predicted to intensify over the weekend. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/fas/?SEAustralia3 ] in a variety of resolutions and formats. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Thick smoke hung over Victoria and spread eastward to the Tasman Sea on December 8, 2006. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite passed over head that morning and captured this image, only a few of the active fires (marked in red) could be detected through the smoke. Although Melbourne had been spared the thick smoke on previous days, on this morning, the plume was encroaching on the northeast edge of the metro area. Skies over the Snowy Range Mountains in New South Wales cleared to the north. At least 50 fires were burning in early December in Victoria, and many were threatening to merge into unified, large blazes. Weather conditions over the weekend were predicted to deteriorate, making the work of firefighters even more difficult. High temperatures and far-below-average rainfall in the area have elevated the late spring fire hazard across the region. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6 ] of the area in additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Australian firefighters have been battling huge fires in remote forests and parks in the Barry Mountains (part of the Great Dividing Range) of Victoria since early December 2006. Toward the middle of the month, fires began threatening small communities, and several houses were destroyed. This pair of images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite was captured on December 14, 2006. The top image is natural color, similar to a digital photo, while the bottom image uses both visible and infrared light to thin the smoke and highlight burning areas. Red outlines trace the boundaries of areas where MODIS detected actively burning fires. Inside the fire outlines in the false-color image, bright pink glows often indicate open flame. These glows appear in places not surrounded by red fire outlines, which suggests the smoke was too thick for the software that interprets the MODIS data to confidently label the area as fire. Fires are spread over a wide area. Mount Beauty, Dargo, and several small communities along the Macalister River are among those most threatened by the fires. The large image provided above has a spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/fas/?SEAustralia3/2006348 ] images of the region in additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description A river of smoke more than 250 kilometers wide flowed northwest across the Victoria-New South Wales border on December 12, 2006, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite passed over head and captured this image. Bushfires had been burning in the Great Dividing Range Mountains for nearly two weeks. Places where MODIS detected actively burning fire on this day are outlined in red. It's likely that additional fires that couldn't be detected through the very thick smoke were burning in the area east of Lake Eildon. According to news reports, army bulldozers were arriving in the area to construct fire breaks in the watershed area north of Lake Thomson, which provides a significant portion of Melbourne's water supply. The large image provided above has a spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia6/ ] images of the region in additional resolutions. A 250-meter-resolution KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Dec2006/Australia.A2006346.0055.250m.kmz ] of the Victoria fires is available for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Throughout December 2006, large bushfires raged through national parks and other remote areas of Victoria's Barry Mountains. Despite the fact that summer was not officially underway, the late spring weather was extremely challenging for firefighters: hot, windy, and dry. Rough estimates based on preliminary maps from the government's Victoria Parks [ http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm ] Website indicated that more than 470,000 hectares (close to 1.2 million acres) had burned as of December 15. This image from NASA's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on the agency's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite shows fires burning in the heart of Alpine National Park, roughly 57 kilometers (a little over 35 miles) southeast of the town of Mansfield. The image uses not only visible light detected by ASTER, but also shortwave- and near-infrared light. Vegetation appears red, burned areas appear charcoal, bare ground (including roads) appears light beige, and smoke is gray. Plumes of smoke from individual fires billow southeast (the image is rotated counterclockwise off North) and spread into a blanket of haze. Alpine is Victoria's largest national park, covering 646,000 hectares (nearly 1.6 million acres) of the state's highest mountains. A mixture of alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems exists in the park, including snow gum (a kind of eucalyptus) forest and high plains covered by grasslands. More than 1,000 species of native plants live within the park, as well as threatened and rare animals. Many areas and roads in the park were closed because of the dangerous fire conditions. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and the U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Fires in Victoria continued to rage on December 20, 2006. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] shows smoke swirling over the state and spreading westward over Melbourne. Places where MODIS detected actively burning fires are outlined in red. These fires have been burning since the beginning of the month, as dry, hot, windy conditions prevailed across the region. Although this part of Victoria is largely national parks and other natural areas, there are many small towns and communities scattered throughout the region that have been endangered by the fires. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/fas/?SEAustralia3/ ] of the area in a variety of resolutions and formats. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Clouds had been hiding Victoria from the view of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites in previous weeks, but when the skies cleared on January 10, 2007, it was obvious that fires that had been burning in the area since early December 2006 were still raging. Places where Terra MODIS detected actively burning fires are outlined in red. Rivers of smoke pour from the burning vegetation. Although vegetation in this dry part of the world doesn't appear as vibrantly green as forests in wetter parts of the world, there is nevertheless a clear difference between forests that have burned and those that have not burned (or were lightly burned). The unburned areas appear dark green, while the burned areas appear brown. A huge swath of the Great Dividing Range Mountains between Lake Eildon and the town of Omeo burned in late 2006 and early 2007. The fires may continue for several months. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/fas/?SEAustralia3/2007010/FAS_SEAustralia3.2007010.terra ] of the area in a variety of resolutions and formats, including an infrared-enhanced version that makes the burn scar more obvious. A 250-meter-resolution KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jan2007/Australia.A2007010.0025.250m.kmz ] of the Victorian fires is available for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Fires in Victoria, Australia
Title Fires in Victoria, Australia
Description Fires that began in early December 2006 were still raging through the Great Dividing Range Mountains of eastern Victoria, Australia, on January 16, 2007. This image of the region was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite just before 11:00 a.m. local time. Places where MODIS detected actively burning fires are outlined in red. The forested mountains were green where they had not burned and deep brown where the fires had scorched them. Homes and livestock were lost near Tatong on January 16, when strong winds and high temperatures increased fire activity. The large image provided above has a spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily images of the region in additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center
Fires on Cape Barren Island
Title Fires on Cape Barren Island
Description On October 13, 2006, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this image of fires burning in a long line across southern Cape Barren Island, south of Australia. Places where the sensor detected active fire are outlined in red. A long plume of smoke widens out to the east over the Tasman Sea. According to the daily bushfire summary report from the Tasman Fire Service on October 16, two fires—each about 39,000 hectares (96,371 acres)—were burning on Cape Barren Island. Neither was considered controlled. 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 by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Fires on Cape Barren Island
Title Fires on Cape Barren Island
Description On October 13, 2006, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this image of fires burning in a long line across southern Cape Barren Island, south of Australia. Places where the sensor detected active fire are outlined in red. A long plume of smoke widens out to the east over the Tasman Sea. According to the daily bushfire summary report from the Tasman Fire Service on October 16, two fires—each about 39,000 hectares (96,371 acres)—were burning on Cape Barren Island. Neither was considered controlled. 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 by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Tropical Cyclone Floyd
Title Tropical Cyclone Floyd
Description Tropical Cyclone Floyd formed northwest of Australia in the Timor Sea on March 21, 2006. The cyclone gained power gradually and was heading west into the Indian Ocean. It was not predicted to travel over any large landmasses, though it may pose a threat to Christmas Island well off the Western Australia coast in the Indian Ocean. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite observed the storm at 11:55 a.m. Australian Western Daylight Saving time (02:35 UTC) on March 22, 2006, Tropical Cyclone Floyd was continuing to slowly build power and size. When MODIS made this observation, the storm had peak winds of around 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour), and forecasts at the time called for it to continue to gather strength for at least several days, with predicted peak winds of 170 kilometers per hour (105 mph), according to the University of Hawaii's Tropical Storm Information Center. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Tropical Cyclone Glenda
Title Tropical Cyclone Glenda
Description Tropical Cyclone Glenda formed off the northwestern coast of Australia on March 27, 2006. The storm quickly built into a powerful and well-defined cyclone during the next day. Powerful winds have whipped up surf along the coastline of Western Australia's Pilbara region, and the storm also brought heavy rain to the islands off the Kimberly coast. As of March 28, 2006, the storm had reached Category 4 status and was expected to build power and reach the maximum, Category 5, rating during the next day. This natural-color image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on March 28, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. local time (02:00 UTC). It shows Cyclone Glenda as a well-developed storm, sitting 180 kilometers (150 miles) north of Broome. The storm was already large enough that Broome was covered by the edge of the cyclone. Sustained, peak winds in the storm system were roughly 165 kilometers per hour (105 miles per hour) at this time. The cyclone had been traveling roughly parallel to the coastline, putting the entire coastal area on alert. The area includes not only major pearl-diving operations and beaches that attract tourists, but it is also home to the Northwest Shelf, one of Australia's major oil fields. The oil fields are located off the coast near Dampier. According to news reports, operators were not expressing concern about the oil field but were planning for necessary shutdowns for safety. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Tropical Cyclone Glenda
Title Tropical Cyclone Glenda
Description Tropical Cyclone Glenda formed off the northwestern coast of Australia on March 27, 2006. The storm quickly built into a powerful and well-defined cyclone during the next day. Powerful winds have whipped up surf along the coastline of Western Australia's Pilbara, and the storm brought heavy rain to the islands off the Kimberly coast. As of March 29, 2006, the storm had reached Category 5 status, the maximum rating possible for a cyclone. This photo-like image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on March 29, 2006, at 10:40 a.m. local time (02:40 UTC). It shows Cyclone Glenda as a well-developed storm, sitting 525 kilometers (330 miles) west of Broome. Clouds from the storm covered most of the northwest coastline of Western Australia. Sustained, peak winds in the storm system were roughly 220 kilometers per hour (140 miles per hour) at this time. The storm's spiraling clouds appear as a nearly solid white disk, but in several places, it appears as though some clouds are "boiling" up above the rest. Predictions as of 2:55 a.m. Australian Western Standard Time on March 30 were that the storm would cross the coast between Exmouth and Karatha on Thursday afternoon or night as a very dangerous storm. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology predicted that wind speeds near the storm center could reach 265 kilometers per hour (165 miles per hour) as the storm comes ashore. Many coastal communities were being evacuated by State Emergency Services ahead of the storm. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by Liam Gumley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Geoscience Australia.
Tropical Cyclone Glenda
Title Tropical Cyclone Glenda
Description Tropical Cyclone Glenda formed off the northwestern coast of Australia on March 27, 2006. Powerful winds whipped up surf along the coastline of Western Australia's Pilbara region, and the storm brought heavy rains to the islands off the Kimberly coast. On March 29, it was classified as a Category 5 storm, the highest rating on the cyclone-strength scale. However, as it came ashore a day later, it had lost a small fraction of its strength. By March 31, 2006, the storm had lost considerable power and was ranked as a mere tropical depression. This photo-like image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite on March 31, 2006, at 10:30 a.m. local time (02:30 UTC), roughly 40 hours after coming ashore near Onslow. The remnants of Cyclone Glenda still have a vaguely spiral appearance, but they lack the well-developed eye and tight-wound shape of the mature, powerful storm of previous days. Clouds from the storm cover most of the Indian Ocean coast of Western Australia. Sustained, peak winds in the storm system were considerably diminished, roughly 65 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour) around the time the image was captured. Damage assessments in Onslow showed the town fared better than expected in the face of such a powerful storm. However, it will be many days before clean-up operations are concluded. Meteorologists were also concerned about the widespread flooding potential as the storm continued to travel inland. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.
Tropical Cyclone Hubert
Title Tropical Cyclone Hubert
Description Tropical Cyclone Hubert formed off the northwestern coast of Australia on April 5, 2006. Cyclones form in this area from December through April each year. In April, the start of the Asian Monsoon season gradually shifts storm activity northward to bring the cyclone season to a close. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology had been predicting an average season for cyclones in 2006, with about five named storms of which two might come ashore. With the formation of Hubert, the season became slightly more active than predicted. Unlike Cyclone Glenda, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13457 ] which preceded it by a few days, however, Hubert was not a powerful system and was not predicted to develop much before coming ashore. This photo-like image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on April 7, 2006, at 10:05 p.m. local time (02:05 UTC). Cyclone Hubert at this time had a basic spiral form, but lacked the well-developed eye and tight-wound shape of a powerful storm, though it has become somewhat more compact and defined than the previous day. Sustained, peak winds in the storm system were roughly 100 kilometers per hour (65 miles per hour) around the time the image was captured. Hubert had remained at this strength for the previous 36 hours, as if the storm was not developing further, despite the changes in the cloud structure and storm-core shape. Hubert was approaching the same areas of Western Australia affected by Cyclone Glenda a week earlier. At 8 p.m. local time on April 7, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ http://www.abc.net.au/news/ ] was reporting that the town of Onslow was close to running out of gas to supply the local power plant. Onslow bore the brunt of Cyclone Glenda the week before, and the gas plant providing the town with electricity was still surrounded by meter-deep flood water from Glenda's visit. Hubert's arrival was further hindering efforts to restore and repair services in the town and surrounding communities. The high-resolution image provided above is provided at the full MODIS spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System also provides this image at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2006097-0407/Hubert.A2006097.0240 ] NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Tropical Cyclone Larry
Title Tropical Cyclone Larry
Description Tropical Cyclone Larry formed off the northeastern coast of Australia on March 18, 2006, but built strength rapidly. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite observed the storm at 11:55 a.m. Eastern Australian Daylight Time (00:55 UTC) on March 19, 2006, only a day later, Larry had already reached considerable size and power, with peak sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour). Within the next eighteen hours, according to the Tropical Storm information service at the University of Hawaii, sustained winds reached 185 km/hr (115 mph), just before the storm came ashore. It lost power over land. This image shows Cyclone Larry as it was bearing down on the coast of Queensland over the Great Barrier Reef. During the next day, Larry caused considerable damage to coastal towns and property, flattening sugar cane fields. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as much as 90 percent of the Australian banana crop may have been lost in this single storm. Since many trees have been destroyed, it may be many years before the banana industry recovers. The high-resolution image provided above is provided at the full MODIS spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System also provides this image at additional resolutions. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Tropical Cyclone Monica
Title Tropical Cyclone Monica
Description Tropical Cyclone Monica formed off the northeastern coast of Australia on April 17, 2006. This is the same general area where Cyclone Larry [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13431 ] formed a month earlier. Larry caused devastation to Queenland's coastal communities and destroyed a large fraction of the banana trees in the region. Cyclone Monica was not predicted to be anywhere near as destructive as Larry, and according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology [ http://www.bom.gov.au/ ], Monica was expected to cross Cape York in northern Queensland well away from most settled areas, limiting the damage it was predicted to cause. This photo-like image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on April 18, 2006, at 10:35 a.m. local time (00:35 UTC). Cyclone Monica at this time had a basic spiral form, but lacked the well-developed eye and tight-wound shape of a powerful storm. Sustained, peak winds in the storm system were roughly 100 kilometers per hour (65 miles per hour) around the time the image was captured. NASA image by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]
Tropical Cyclone Monica
Title Tropical Cyclone Monica
Description Tropical Cyclone Monica formed off the northeastern coast of Australia on April 17, 2006. This is the same general area where Cyclone Larry [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13431 ] formed a month earlier. Larry caused devastation to Queenland's coastal communities and destroyed a large fraction of the banana trees in the region. Cyclone Monica was nowhere near as destructive as Larry, and Monica's path across Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland took it well away from most settled areas. This photo-like image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on April 21, 2006, at 11:10 a.m. local time (01:10 UTC). Cyclone Monica at this time was still a powerful storm, even after having lost some strength crossing Cape York on April 19 and 20. The storm was beginning to rebuild over the Gulf of Carpentaria. Sustained peak winds in the storm system were roughly 165 kilometers per hour (105 miles per hour) around the time the image was captured. At that time, Monica was expected to rebuild to a Category-4-strength storm before coming ashore again along the coast of the Northern Territory. Communities in Arnhem Land were bracing for very strong winds and heavy rains. The high-resolution image provided above is provided at the full MODIS spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2006111-0421/Monica.A2006111.0110 ] NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center.
Tropical Cyclone Monica
Title Tropical Cyclone Monica
Description Tropical Cyclone Monica formed off the northeastern coast of Australia on April 17, 2006. This is the same general area where Cyclone Larry [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13431 ] formed a month earlier. Cyclone Monica was not anywhere near as destructive as Larry when it crossed Cape York Peninsula, but when the tropical cyclone reached the warm waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria on the other side, it re-organized and re-intensified. Cyclone Monica became the strongest storm of the 2006 Australian cyclone season with wind gusts reaching 350 kilometers per hour (215 miles per hour) according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Cyclone Warning Centre. The Category 5 cyclone came ashore on the sparsely populated coastline of the Northern Territory, missing the city of Darwin, which had been bracing for a record storm. This photo-like image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] on the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on April 26, 2006, at 10:55 a.m. Australian Central Standard Time (01:25 UTC). Monica by this point had fallen apart quite rapidly, and it was already below cyclone strength. Only vague remnants of its tight spiral formation could be made out in this image. However, it continued to bring very heavy rains as it traveled across the Northern Territory, with record rainfalls throughout the region. It is unusual for such a strong storm to show up so late in the season: the Northern Territory's "wet" season (the local name for the five months from December through April when heavy rains and cyclones are common) has only a few more days left. NASA image by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]
Floods in Australia
Title Floods in Australia
Description Normally dry, Australia's desert interior blooms under the influence of the summer monsoon. In mid-January, a monsoon storm drifted slowly across Australia's Northern Territory, into South Australia, and on January 22, into Queensland. The storm dumped heavy rain on the desert and left flooding in its wake. The top image of floods in Northern Territory was captured on January 22, 2007, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Rivers and creeks that are normally dry channels fill with water during the summer monsoon, and this image shows one such system along the border between Northern Territory and Western Australia, north of a large seasonal lake, Lake Mackay. The image was made with both infrared and visible light so water is black or dark blue. Plant-covered land is green, while bare ground is tan-pink. Clouds are light blue and white. The black water flowing through the river channels and the threads of green that follow the waterways give the landscape a marbled appearance in the top image. The lower image, taken a few weeks earlier on December 31, 2006, shows the region before the monsoon system struck. A brush of green and black pools of water reveal that some rain had already fallen by December 31, but the region did not exhibit the extensive floods that would occur in January.Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2007022 ] of Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in Australia
Title Floods in Australia
Description Normally dry, Australia's desert interior blooms under the influence of the summer monsoon. In mid-January, a monsoon storm drifted slowly across Australia's Northern Territory, into South Australia, and on January 22, into Queensland. The storm dumped heavy rain on the desert and left flooding in its wake. The top image of floods in Northern Territory was captured on January 22, 2007, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Rivers and creeks that are normally dry channels fill with water during the summer monsoon, and this image shows one such system along the border between Northern Territory and Western Australia, north of a large seasonal lake, Lake Mackay. The image was made with both infrared and visible light so water is black or dark blue. Plant-covered land is green, while bare ground is tan-pink. Clouds are light blue and white. The black water flowing through the river channels and the threads of green that follow the waterways give the landscape a marbled appearance in the top image. The lower image, taken a few weeks earlier on December 31, 2006, shows the region before the monsoon system struck. A brush of green and black pools of water reveal that some rain had already fallen by December 31, but the region did not exhibit the extensive floods that would occur in January.Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Australia2/2007022 ] of Australia are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC.
Floods in East Africa
Title Floods in East Africa
Description Severe drought early in 2006 followed by widespread flooding [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13795 ] during August crippled Ethiopia. In late October and early November, the disaster continued to develop as heavy rain once again sent the Wabe Shebele River over its banks. The swollen river grew to twice its normal size, inundating towns that line its fertile banks, reported the World Food Program [ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/WFP/4d4580f3cc2d9d49654e66a8daf84c16.htm ]. More than 60 people died in the floods, and many more were impacted. On November 1, 2006, skies cleared, providing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite a clear view of the floods in southeastern Ethiopia. The Wabe Shabele spreads several kilometers across its flood plain, its water ranging from inky black to light blue. The scene is shown in infrared-enhanced false color to highlight the presence of water on the ground. In this color combination, made with both visible and infrared light, water is typically black, as it is in the lower reaches of the river in this image. Elsewhere in the scene, however, water is light blue because sediment in the water scatters light. The pale blue color blends with the light green of newly growing plants, making it difficult to tell just how extensive the floods are on the west bank of the river. Other waterways on either side of the Wabe Shabele are also filled with mud-laden, light blue water. The lower image, taken on October 7, shows the Wabe Shabele under normal conditions. Though the river is prone to flooding, the attractiveness of living along its banks is clear from this image. Little vegetation is growing in the arid region except along the river's banks, which are lined in green. Conditions changed by November 1. The same rainfall that caused the floods also spurred plant growth, and the landscape went from a barren tan-pink to verdant green. Lines of high clouds, pale blue and white in this false-color image, are scattered across both images. Like much of East Africa, southeastern Ethiopia goes through a regular cycle of floods and droughts. The cycle is in part driven by El Niño, a cyclical warming of ocean waters in the central and eastern Pacific that can alter weather patterns around the world. In general, El Niño causes drought in some regions, such as Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines, while bringing excess rain to others, including East Africa and the southwestern United States. In September 2006, NASA's JASON satellite recorded a weak El Niño [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17419 ] in the tropical Pacific Ocean. At the same time, drought [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13943 ], was settling in over Australia, and heavy rain pounded East Africa. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team.
Floods in East Africa
Title Floods in East Africa
Description Severe drought early in 2006 followed by widespread flooding [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13795 ] during August crippled Ethiopia. In late October and early November, the disaster continued to develop as heavy rain once again sent the Wabe Shebele River over its banks. The swollen river grew to twice its normal size, inundating towns that line its fertile banks, reported the World Food Program [ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/WFP/4d4580f3cc2d9d49654e66a8daf84c16.htm ]. More than 60 people died in the floods, and many more were impacted. On November 1, 2006, skies cleared, providing the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite a clear view of the floods in southeastern Ethiopia. The Wabe Shabele spreads several kilometers across its flood plain, its water ranging from inky black to light blue. The scene is shown in infrared-enhanced false color to highlight the presence of water on the ground. In this color combination, made with both visible and infrared light, water is typically black, as it is in the lower reaches of the river in this image. Elsewhere in the scene, however, water is light blue because sediment in the water scatters light. The pale blue color blends with the light green of newly growing plants, making it difficult to tell just how extensive the floods are on the west bank of the river. Other waterways on either side of the Wabe Shabele are also filled with mud-laden, light blue water. The lower image, taken on October 7, shows the Wabe Shabele under normal conditions. Though the river is prone to flooding, the attractiveness of living along its banks is clear from this image. Little vegetation is growing in the arid region except along the river's banks, which are lined in green. Conditions changed by November 1. The same rainfall that caused the floods also spurred plant growth, and the landscape went from a barren tan-pink to verdant green. Lines of high clouds, pale blue and white in this false-color image, are scattered across both images. Like much of East Africa, southeastern Ethiopia goes through a regular cycle of floods and droughts. The cycle is in part driven by El Niño, a cyclical warming of ocean waters in the central and eastern Pacific that can alter weather patterns around the world. In general, El Niño causes drought in some regions, such as Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines, while bringing excess rain to others, including East Africa and the southwestern United States. In September 2006, NASA's JASON satellite recorded a weak El Niño [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17419 ] in the tropical Pacific Ocean. At the same time, drought [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13943 ], was settling in over Australia, and heavy rain pounded East Africa. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team.
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