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Rainfall Accumulation from H …
Title Rainfall Accumulation from Hurricane Isabel (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Isabel generated large amounts of rain over the Atlantic ocean as it approached East coast of the United States in September 2003. In fact, unlike many hurricanes, most of the Isabel's rainfall did not occur over land, flooding on land was caused mainly by storm surge. This animation shows accumulation of rainfall from the hurricane--each frame shows the total amount of rain since the start of the measurement period. Rain from other sources has been masked out, so the hurricane track is clearly visible as the storm moves across the Atlantic.
Completed 2005-04-12
Rainfall Accumulation from H …
Title Rainfall Accumulation from Hurricane Isabel (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Isabel generated large amounts of rain over the Atlantic ocean as it approached East coast of the United States in September 2003. In fact, unlike many hurricanes, most of the Isabel's rainfall did not occur over land, flooding on land was caused mainly by storm surge. This animation shows accumulation of rainfall from the hurricane--each frame shows the total amount of rain since the start of the measurement period. Rain from other sources has been masked out, so the hurricane track is clearly visible as the storm moves across the Atlantic.
Completed 2005-04-12
Scene Identification Compare …
Title Scene Identification Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the scene identification as measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. By comparing the incoming solar radiation with the outgoing reflected and thermal radiation, it is possible to identify the type of area being viewed, whether it be land, clouds, ocean, or ice. This scene identification is used together with the radiation flux measurements to build up a complete picture of the Earth's energy budget over time.
Completed 2005-06-21
Scene Identification Compare …
Title Scene Identification Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the scene identification as measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. By comparing the incoming solar radiation with the outgoing reflected and thermal radiation, it is possible to identify the type of area being viewed, whether it be land, clouds, ocean, or ice. This scene identification is used together with the radiation flux measurements to build up a complete picture of the Earth's energy budget over time.
Completed 2005-06-21
Aerosols from 2003 Southern …
Title Aerosols from 2003 Southern California Fires (WMS)
Abstract A devastating series of fires occurred in Southern California during October 2003. The effects of these fires were detectable from space. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument measures aerosol particles (microscopic airborne dust and smoke). TOMS was able to detect aerosols from these fires moving West over the Pacific Ocean and East over the continental United States.
Completed 2005-03-11
Aerosols from 2003 Southern …
Title Aerosols from 2003 Southern California Fires (WMS)
Abstract A devastating series of fires occurred in Southern California during October 2003. The effects of these fires were detectable from space. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument measures aerosol particles (microscopic airborne dust and smoke). TOMS was able to detect aerosols from these fires moving West over the Pacific Ocean and East over the continental United States.
Completed 2005-03-11
Sea Ice Surface Temperature …
Title Sea Ice Surface Temperature with Regions of No Data Indicated (WMS)
Abstract This animation shows the daily sea ice surface temperature over the northern hemisphere from September 2002 through May 2003. The sea ice surface temperature was measured by the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite. Since this instrument cannot take measurements through clouds, in cloud-covered regions or areas with suspect data quality, the prior day's value is retained until a valid data reading is obtained. The satellite instruments are also unable to collect data in the dark, so the region around the pole is shown here with a grey cap that grows and shrinks, indicating the region in polar darkness. The color of the sea ice indicates the sea ice surface temperature.
Completed 2004-10-22
Sea Ice Surface Temperature …
Title Sea Ice Surface Temperature with Regions of No Data Indicated (WMS)
Abstract This animation shows the daily sea ice surface temperature over the northern hemisphere from September 2002 through May 2003. The sea ice surface temperature was measured by the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite. Since this instrument cannot take measurements through clouds, in cloud-covered regions or areas with suspect data quality, the prior day's value is retained until a valid data reading is obtained. The satellite instruments are also unable to collect data in the dark, so the region around the pole is shown here with a grey cap that grows and shrinks, indicating the region in polar darkness. The color of the sea ice indicates the sea ice surface temperature.
Completed 2004-10-22
Outgoing Shortwave Flux Comp …
Title Outgoing Shortwave Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the reflected solar radiation measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003 over infrared cloud images for the same period. Reflected solar radiation is shortwave radiation, and the most intense reflection comes from clouds.
Completed 2005-06-20
Outgoing Shortwave Flux Comp …
Title Outgoing Shortwave Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the reflected solar radiation measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003 over infrared cloud images for the same period. Reflected solar radiation is shortwave radiation, and the most intense reflection comes from clouds.
Completed 2005-06-20
Global Ozone from 2000 throu …
Title Global Ozone from 2000 through 2003 (WMS)
Abstract This visualization shows the total ozone concentrations for the Earth from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2003. Low ozone (less than 200 Dobson units) is depicted as regions of dark blue, with high ozone (greater than 330 Dobson units) depicted as yellow and red. The most visible and dynamic feature of the ozone distribution is the ozone hole that forms over Antartica during September of each year. The amount of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica is reduced during this period due to unique atmospheric conditions which chemically reduce the amount of ozone in the region and prevent that ozone from mixing with the higher ozone concentrations just outside the hole. Ozone blocks harmful ultraviolet 'B' rays, and loss of statospheric ozone has been linked to skin cancer in humans and other adverse biological effects in plants and animals. The 2000 Antarctic ozone hole reached 11.5 million square miles on September 10, 2000, the largest hole ever recorded, slightly larger than the North American continent. The 2002 ozone hole was much smaller than normal, dividing into two parts on September 24 before dissipating completely, while the 2003 hole was the second largest observed, reaching 10.9 million square miles on September 11. This data was measured by the TOMS instrument on the Earth Probe satellite. TOMS experienced some days during this period for which data was not measured due to instrument problems.
Completed 2004-07-12
Global Ozone from 2000 throu …
Title Global Ozone from 2000 through 2003 (WMS)
Abstract This visualization shows the total ozone concentrations for the Earth from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2003. Low ozone (less than 200 Dobson units) is depicted as regions of dark blue, with high ozone (greater than 330 Dobson units) depicted as yellow and red. The most visible and dynamic feature of the ozone distribution is the ozone hole that forms over Antartica during September of each year. The amount of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica is reduced during this period due to unique atmospheric conditions which chemically reduce the amount of ozone in the region and prevent that ozone from mixing with the higher ozone concentrations just outside the hole. Ozone blocks harmful ultraviolet 'B' rays, and loss of statospheric ozone has been linked to skin cancer in humans and other adverse biological effects in plants and animals. The 2000 Antarctic ozone hole reached 11.5 million square miles on September 10, 2000, the largest hole ever recorded, slightly larger than the North American continent. The 2002 ozone hole was much smaller than normal, dividing into two parts on September 24 before dissipating completely, while the 2003 hole was the second largest observed, reaching 10.9 million square miles on September 11. This data was measured by the TOMS instrument on the Earth Probe satellite. TOMS experienced some days during this period for which data was not measured due to instrument problems.
Completed 2004-07-12
Instantaneous Outgoing Longw …
Title Instantaneous Outgoing Longwave Flux (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the outgoing thermal radiation measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. Thermal radiation is longwave radiation and depends on the temperature of the earth, with the most intense radiation coming from the warmest regions and the least from cold clouds in the atmosphere. Although cold clouds and the cold Antarctic night regions can be seen in this data, the Earth radiates pretty uniformly in the longwave bands because the atmosphere distributes the heat of the sun to the whole planet.
Completed 2005-02-01
Instantaneous Outgoing Longw …
Title Instantaneous Outgoing Longwave Flux (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the outgoing thermal radiation measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. Thermal radiation is longwave radiation and depends on the temperature of the earth, with the most intense radiation coming from the warmest regions and the least from cold clouds in the atmosphere. Although cold clouds and the cold Antarctic night regions can be seen in this data, the Earth radiates pretty uniformly in the longwave bands because the atmosphere distributes the heat of the sun to the whole planet.
Completed 2005-02-01
Global Biosphere from August …
Title Global Biosphere from August, 1997 to July, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract By monitoring the color of reflected light via satellite, scientists can determine how successfully plant life is photosynthesizing. A measurement of photosynthesis is essentially a measurement of successful growth, and growth means successful use of ambient carbon. This animation represents the first six years' worth of data taken by the SeaWiFS instrument, showing the abundance of life both on land and in the sea. In the ocean, dark blue represents warmer areas where there is little life due to lack of nutrients, and greens and reds represent cooler nutrient-rich areas. The nutrient-rich areas include coastal regions where cold water rises from the sea floor bringing nutrients along and areas at the mouths of rivers where the rivers have brought nutrients into the ocean from the land. On land, green represents areas of abundent plant life, such as forests and grasslands, while tan and white represent areas where plant life is sparse or non-existent, such as the deserts in Africa and the Middle East and snow-cover and ice at the poles.
Completed 2004-02-16
Global Biosphere from August …
Title Global Biosphere from August, 1997 to July, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract By monitoring the color of reflected light via satellite, scientists can determine how successfully plant life is photosynthesizing. A measurement of photosynthesis is essentially a measurement of successful growth, and growth means successful use of ambient carbon. This animation represents the first six years' worth of data taken by the SeaWiFS instrument, showing the abundance of life both on land and in the sea. In the ocean, dark blue represents warmer areas where there is little life due to lack of nutrients, and greens and reds represent cooler nutrient-rich areas. The nutrient-rich areas include coastal regions where cold water rises from the sea floor bringing nutrients along and areas at the mouths of rivers where the rivers have brought nutrients into the ocean from the land. On land, green represents areas of abundent plant life, such as forests and grasslands, while tan and white represent areas where plant life is sparse or non-existent, such as the deserts in Africa and the Middle East and snow-cover and ice at the poles.
Completed 2004-02-16
Global Sea Surface Temperatu …
Title Global Sea Surface Temperature from June, 2002 to September, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the surface of the world's oceans provides a clear indication of the state of the Earth's climate and weather. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite measures the temperature of the top 1 millimeter of the ocean every day, even through the clouds. In this visualization sequence covering the period from June, 2002, to September, 2003, the most obvious effects are the north-south movement of warm regions across the equator due to the seasonal movement of the sun and the seasonal advance and retreat of the sea ice near the North and South poles. It is also possible to see the Gulf Stream, the warm river of water that parallels the east coast of the United States before heading towards northern Europe, in this data. Around January 1, 2003, a cooler than normal region of the ocean appears just to the west of Peru as part of a La Nina and flows westward, driven by the trade winds. The waves that appear on the edges of this cooler area are called tropical instability waves and can also be seen in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean about the same time.
Completed 2004-02-12
Global Sea Surface Temperatu …
Title Global Sea Surface Temperature from June, 2002 to September, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the surface of the world's oceans provides a clear indication of the state of the Earth's climate and weather. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite measures the temperature of the top 1 millimeter of the ocean every day, even through the clouds. In this visualization sequence covering the period from June, 2002, to September, 2003, the most obvious effects are the north-south movement of warm regions across the equator due to the seasonal movement of the sun and the seasonal advance and retreat of the sea ice near the North and South poles. It is also possible to see the Gulf Stream, the warm river of water that parallels the east coast of the United States before heading towards northern Europe, in this data. Around January 1, 2003, a cooler than normal region of the ocean appears just to the west of Peru as part of a La Nina and flows westward, driven by the trade winds. The waves that appear on the edges of this cooler area are called tropical instability waves and can also be seen in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean about the same time.
Completed 2004-02-12
Incoming Solar Flux Compared …
Title Incoming Solar Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the incoming solar radiation within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. Because this is incoming solar flux, its magnitude only depends on the position of the sun, and, because the orbit is synchronized with the sun, the orbit crosses the equator in the daylight at about 1:30 PM local time on every orbit. This data is not actually measured from CERES, but is calculated to compare with the outgoing radiation that CERES does measure. Note that the infrared cloud image shown under the solar data shows high infrared as dark (land) and low infrared as light (clouds).
Completed 2005-06-21
Incoming Solar Flux Compared …
Title Incoming Solar Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the incoming solar radiation within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. Because this is incoming solar flux, its magnitude only depends on the position of the sun, and, because the orbit is synchronized with the sun, the orbit crosses the equator in the daylight at about 1:30 PM local time on every orbit. This data is not actually measured from CERES, but is calculated to compare with the outgoing radiation that CERES does measure. Note that the infrared cloud image shown under the solar data shows high infrared as dark (land) and low infrared as light (clouds).
Completed 2005-06-21
Snow Cover over the Northern …
Title Snow Cover over the Northern Hemisphere during the Winter of 2002-2003 (WMS)
Abstract The amount of snow covering the land has both short and long term effects on the environment. From season to season, snow coverage and depth affect soil moisture and water availability, which directly influence agriculture, wildfire occurrences, and drought. In the long term, the part of the Earth's surface covered by snow reflects up to 80 or 90 percent of the incoming solar radiation as opposed to the 10 or 20 percent that uncovered land reflects, and this has important consequences for the Earth's climate. Satellites identify the snow cover precisely by looking at the difference between light reflected off snow in the visible and the infrared wavelengths. This visualization shows the snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere from September, 2002, through June, 2003, as measured by the MODIS instrument on the Terra satellite. Since this instrument cannot measure snow cover through clouds, this visualization designates an area as covered by snow when the instrument takes a valid measurement showing greater than 50% snow coverage in that area. This area is assumed to be snow covered until the instrument takes a valid measurement showing less than 40% snow coverage in that same area. It is possible to see topographic features in the snow cover such as the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas, and large snow coverage paths from storms that cross the plains of the United States and Russia can also be seen.
Completed 2004-02-11
Snow Cover over the Northern …
Title Snow Cover over the Northern Hemisphere during the Winter of 2002-2003 (WMS)
Abstract The amount of snow covering the land has both short and long term effects on the environment. From season to season, snow coverage and depth affect soil moisture and water availability, which directly influence agriculture, wildfire occurrences, and drought. In the long term, the part of the Earth's surface covered by snow reflects up to 80 or 90 percent of the incoming solar radiation as opposed to the 10 or 20 percent that uncovered land reflects, and this has important consequences for the Earth's climate. Satellites identify the snow cover precisely by looking at the difference between light reflected off snow in the visible and the infrared wavelengths. This visualization shows the snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere from September, 2002, through June, 2003, as measured by the MODIS instrument on the Terra satellite. Since this instrument cannot measure snow cover through clouds, this visualization designates an area as covered by snow when the instrument takes a valid measurement showing greater than 50% snow coverage in that area. This area is assumed to be snow covered until the instrument takes a valid measurement showing less than 40% snow coverage in that same area. It is possible to see topographic features in the snow cover such as the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas, and large snow coverage paths from storms that cross the plains of the United States and Russia can also be seen.
Completed 2004-02-11
Instantaneous Scene Identifi …
Title Instantaneous Scene Identification (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to th e climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the scene identification as measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. By comparing the incoming solar radiation with the outgoing reflected and thermal radiation, it is possible to identify the type of area being viewed, whether it be land, clouds, ocean, or ice. This scene identification is used together with the radiation flux measurements to build up a complete picture of the Earth's energy budget over time.
Completed 2005-02-01
Instantaneous Scene Identifi …
Title Instantaneous Scene Identification (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to th e climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the scene identification as measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. By comparing the incoming solar radiation with the outgoing reflected and thermal radiation, it is possible to identify the type of area being viewed, whether it be land, clouds, ocean, or ice. This scene identification is used together with the radiation flux measurements to build up a complete picture of the Earth's energy budget over time.
Completed 2005-02-01
Instantaneous Incoming Solar …
Title Instantaneous Incoming Solar Flux (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the incoming solar radiation within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. Because this is incoming solar flux, its magnitude only depends on the position of the sun, and, because the orbit is synchronized with the sun, the orbit crosses the equator in the daylight at about 1:30 PM local time on every orbit. This data is not actually measured from CERES, but is calculated to compare with the outgoing radiation that CERES does measure.
Completed 2005-02-01
Instantaneous Incoming Solar …
Title Instantaneous Incoming Solar Flux (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the incoming solar radiation within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. Because this is incoming solar flux, its magnitude only depends on the position of the sun, and, because the orbit is synchronized with the sun, the orbit crosses the equator in the daylight at about 1:30 PM local time on every orbit. This data is not actually measured from CERES, but is calculated to compare with the outgoing radiation that CERES does measure.
Completed 2005-02-01
Net Radiation Flux Compared …
Title Net Radiation Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the net radiation flux within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. The net flux is the incoming solar flux minus the outgoing reflected (shortwave) and thermal (longwave) radiation. If the flux in a region is positive, the Earth is being warmed by the sun in that region, while cooling regions have a negative flux. It is clear from the animation that the most intensive heating occurs in ocean regions with few clouds, while the second most intense are cloud-free regions over vegetated land areas. Deserts, cloudy regions, and ice caps all reflect enough solar radiation to reduce the amount of heating. Regions of night are, of course, cooling regions because there is no incoming flux at all.
Completed 2005-06-21
Net Radiation Flux Compared …
Title Net Radiation Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the net radiation flux within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. The net flux is the incoming solar flux minus the outgoing reflected (shortwave) and thermal (longwave) radiation. If the flux in a region is positive, the Earth is being warmed by the sun in that region, while cooling regions have a negative flux. It is clear from the animation that the most intensive heating occurs in ocean regions with few clouds, while the second most intense are cloud-free regions over vegetated land areas. Deserts, cloudy regions, and ice caps all reflect enough solar radiation to reduce the amount of heating. Regions of night are, of course, cooling regions because there is no incoming flux at all.
Completed 2005-06-21
Hurricane Regions Indicated …
Title Hurricane Regions Indicated by Sea Surface Temperature from June 2002 to September 2003 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the world's ocean surface provides a clear indication of the regions where hurricanes and typhoons form, since they can only form when the sea surface temperature exceeds 82 degrees F (27.8 degrees C). The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite measures the temperature of the top 1 millimeter of the ocean every day, even through the clouds. In this visualization of AMSR-E data covering the period from June, 2002, to September, 2003, areas with surface temperatures greater than 82 degrees F are shown in yellow and orange, while sea surface temperatures below 82 degrees F are shown in blue. The region in the Atlantic from the Caribbean to the equator only exceeds the critical temperature during late summer and early fall in the Northern Hemisphere, the period known as Hurricane Season. It is also possible to see the Gulf Stream, the warm river of water that parallels the east coast of the United States before heading towards northern Europe, in this data. Around January 1, 2003, a cooler than normal region of the ocean appears just to the west of Peru as part of an La Nina and flows westward, driven by the trade winds. The waves that appear on the edges of this cooler area are called tropical instability waves and can also be seen in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean about the same time.
Completed 2004-02-12
Hurricane Regions Indicated …
Title Hurricane Regions Indicated by Sea Surface Temperature from June 2002 to September 2003 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the world's ocean surface provides a clear indication of the regions where hurricanes and typhoons form, since they can only form when the sea surface temperature exceeds 82 degrees F (27.8 degrees C). The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite measures the temperature of the top 1 millimeter of the ocean every day, even through the clouds. In this visualization of AMSR-E data covering the period from June, 2002, to September, 2003, areas with surface temperatures greater than 82 degrees F are shown in yellow and orange, while sea surface temperatures below 82 degrees F are shown in blue. The region in the Atlantic from the Caribbean to the equator only exceeds the critical temperature during late summer and early fall in the Northern Hemisphere, the period known as Hurricane Season. It is also possible to see the Gulf Stream, the warm river of water that parallels the east coast of the United States before heading towards northern Europe, in this data. Around January 1, 2003, a cooler than normal region of the ocean appears just to the west of Peru as part of an La Nina and flows westward, driven by the trade winds. The waves that appear on the edges of this cooler area are called tropical instability waves and can also be seen in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean about the same time.
Completed 2004-02-12
Global Sea Surface Temperatu …
Title Global Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies from June, 2002 to September, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the surface of the world's oceans provides a clear indication of the state of the Earth's climate and weather. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite measures the temperature of the top 1 millimeter of the ocean every day, even through the clouds. If the average sea surface temperature for a particular date is subtracted from the measured temperature for that date, the resulting sea surface temperature anomaly can be used to accurately assess the current state of the oceans. The anomaly can serve as an early warning system for weather phenomena and can be used to indicate forthcoming problems with fish populations and coral reef health. In this visualization of the anomaly covering the period from June, 2002, to September, 2003, the most obvious effects are a successive warming and cooling along the equator to the west of Peru, the signature of an El Nino/La Nina cycle. Around January 1, 2003, a cooler than normal region of the ocean appears in this region as part of a La Nina and flows westward, driven by the trade winds. The waves that appear on the edges of this cooler area are called tropical instability waves.
Completed 2004-02-12
Global Sea Surface Temperatu …
Title Global Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies from June, 2002 to September, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the surface of the world's oceans provides a clear indication of the state of the Earth's climate and weather. The AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite measures the temperature of the top 1 millimeter of the ocean every day, even through the clouds. If the average sea surface temperature for a particular date is subtracted from the measured temperature for that date, the resulting sea surface temperature anomaly can be used to accurately assess the current state of the oceans. The anomaly can serve as an early warning system for weather phenomena and can be used to indicate forthcoming problems with fish populations and coral reef health. In this visualization of the anomaly covering the period from June, 2002, to September, 2003, the most obvious effects are a successive warming and cooling along the equator to the west of Peru, the signature of an El Nino/La Nina cycle. Around January 1, 2003, a cooler than normal region of the ocean appears in this region as part of a La Nina and flows westward, driven by the trade winds. The waves that appear on the edges of this cooler area are called tropical instability waves.
Completed 2004-02-12
Sea Ice Surface Temperature …
Title Sea Ice Surface Temperature with Alternate Color Scale (WMS)
Abstract This animation shows the daily sea ice surface temperature over the northern hemisphere from September 2002 through May 2003. The sea ice surface temperature was measured by the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite. Since this instrument cannot take measurements through clouds, in cloud-covered regions or areas with suspect data quality, previous values are retained until valid data is obtained. The satellite instruments are also unable to collect data in the dark, so the data values in polar darkness are not updated during the winter until the sun moves northwards in the spring. The color of the sea ice depicts the sea ice surface temperature.
Completed 2006-03-08
Sea Ice Surface Temperature …
Title Sea Ice Surface Temperature with Alternate Color Scale (WMS)
Abstract This animation shows the daily sea ice surface temperature over the northern hemisphere from September 2002 through May 2003. The sea ice surface temperature was measured by the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite. Since this instrument cannot take measurements through clouds, in cloud-covered regions or areas with suspect data quality, previous values are retained until valid data is obtained. The satellite instruments are also unable to collect data in the dark, so the data values in polar darkness are not updated during the winter until the sun moves northwards in the spring. The color of the sea ice depicts the sea ice surface temperature.
Completed 2006-03-08
Daily Sea Ice Surface Temper …
Title Daily Sea Ice Surface Temperature 2002-2003 (WMS)
Abstract This animation shows the daily sea ice surface temperature over the northern hemisphere from September 2002 through May 2003. The sea ice surface temperature was measured by the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite. Since this instrument cannot take measurements through clouds or in the dark, in dark or cloud-covered regions or areas with suspect data quality, the prior day's value is retained until a valid data reading is obtained. The color of the sea ice indicates the sea ice surface temperature.
Completed 2004-10-22
Outgoing Longwave Flux Compa …
Title Outgoing Longwave Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the outgoing thermal radiation measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003 over global infrared cloud images. Thermal radiation is longwave radiation and depends on the temperature of the earth, with the most intense radiation coming from the warmest regions and the least from cold clouds in the atmosphere. Although cold clouds and the cold Antarctic night regions can be seen in this data, the Earth radiates pretty uniformly in the longwave bands because the atmosphere distributes the heat of the sun to the whole planet.
Completed 2005-06-21
Outgoing Longwave Flux Compa …
Title Outgoing Longwave Flux Compared to Clouds (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the outgoing thermal radiation measured by CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003 over global infrared cloud images. Thermal radiation is longwave radiation and depends on the temperature of the earth, with the most intense radiation coming from the warmest regions and the least from cold clouds in the atmosphere. Although cold clouds and the cold Antarctic night regions can be seen in this data, the Earth radiates pretty uniformly in the longwave bands because the atmosphere distributes the heat of the sun to the whole planet.
Completed 2005-06-21
Ozone Measurements from 2000 …
Title Ozone Measurements from 2000 through 2003 (WMS)
Abstract This visualization shows the total ozone concentrations for the Earth from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2003, as measured by theTOMS instrument on the Earth Probe satellite. Low ozone (less than 200 Dobson units) is depicted as regions of dark blue, with high ozone (greater that 330 Dobson units) depicted as yellow and red. The most visible and dynamic feature of the ozone distribution is the ozone hole that forms over Antartica during September of each year. The amount of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica is reduced during this period due to unique atmospheric conditions which chemically reduce the amount of ozone in the region and prevent that ozone from mixing with the higher ozone concentrations just outside the hole. Ozone blocks harmful ultraviolet 'B' rays, and loss of statospheric ozone has been linked to skin cancer in humans and other adverse biological effects in plants and animals. This visualization explicitly shows the TOM ozone data coverage and does not interpolate data into regions of the Earth that the instrument did not observe. Since TOMS measures ozone by observing the characteristics of sunlight reflected from the Earth's surface, no measurements are available for the poles during the polar winter, i.e., around January for the North Pole and July for the South Pole. Also, there is an unobserved region between successive satellite orbits around the equator. Finally, the instrument has periods where technical issues make measurement impossible for a matter of hours or days. This visualization shows that the dynamics of the ozone layer remain visible despite these measurement issues.
Completed 2004-02-12
Ozone Measurements from 2000 …
Title Ozone Measurements from 2000 through 2003 (WMS)
Abstract This visualization shows the total ozone concentrations for the Earth from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2003, as measured by theTOMS instrument on the Earth Probe satellite. Low ozone (less than 200 Dobson units) is depicted as regions of dark blue, with high ozone (greater that 330 Dobson units) depicted as yellow and red. The most visible and dynamic feature of the ozone distribution is the ozone hole that forms over Antartica during September of each year. The amount of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica is reduced during this period due to unique atmospheric conditions which chemically reduce the amount of ozone in the region and prevent that ozone from mixing with the higher ozone concentrations just outside the hole. Ozone blocks harmful ultraviolet 'B' rays, and loss of statospheric ozone has been linked to skin cancer in humans and other adverse biological effects in plants and animals. This visualization explicitly shows the TOM ozone data coverage and does not interpolate data into regions of the Earth that the instrument did not observe. Since TOMS measures ozone by observing the characteristics of sunlight reflected from the Earth's surface, no measurements are available for the poles during the polar winter, i.e., around January for the North Pole and July for the South Pole. Also, there is an unobserved region between successive satellite orbits around the equator. Finally, the instrument has periods where technical issues make measurement impossible for a matter of hours or days. This visualization shows that the dynamics of the ozone layer remain visible despite these measurement issues.
Completed 2004-02-12
Solar Irradiance (WMS)
Title Solar Irradiance (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth moves around the sun, the fact that the Earth's axis is tilted means that the sun's overhead position moves from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere and back from one summer to the next. This effect causes winters to be cold and summers warm in the Northern Hemisphere and the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere. This animation shows the incoming solar irradiance on the Earth at noon on the Greenwich meridian during an entire year, illustrating this movement. The magnitude of this irradiance comes from measurements by the TIM instrument on SORCE. Since the Earth's orbit is elliptical, the magnitude of the solar irradiance at the Earth is least when the Earth is farthest from the sun and greatest when the earth is closest. This 6 or 7 percent change can be seen in the animation by watching the dark bands move. When the bands expand from the bright spot, the Earth is getting closer to the sun, from July through December, and when they contract the Earth is moving away, from January through June. The sun's irradiance is also variable from day to day, but that effect is about ten times smaller than the effect of the earth's orbit.
Completed 2005-02-28
Progression of Hurricane Fab …
Title Progression of Hurricane Fabian, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Fabian threatened the Eastern Coast of the United States before it turned northward and hit the island of Bermuda instead. Fabian came within 50 miles to the west of Bermuda on September 5th, 2003, with sustained winds of 117 miles per hour and with gusts of up to 130 miles per hour.
Completed 2005-05-18
Progression of Hurricane Fab …
Title Progression of Hurricane Fabian, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Fabian threatened the Eastern Coast of the United States before it turned northward and hit the island of Bermuda instead. Fabian came within 50 miles to the west of Bermuda on September 5th, 2003, with sustained winds of 117 miles per hour and with gusts of up to 130 miles per hour.
Completed 2005-05-18
Progression of Hurricane Fab …
Title Progression of Hurricane Fabian, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Fabian threatened the Eastern Coast of the United States before it turned northward and hit the island of Bermuda instead. Fabian came within 50 miles to the west of Bermuda on September 5th, 2003, with sustained winds of 117 miles per hour and with gusts of up to 130 miles per hour.
Completed 2005-05-18
Progression of Hurricane Fab …
Title Progression of Hurricane Fabian, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Fabian threatened the Eastern Coast of the United States before it turned northward and hit the island of Bermuda instead. Fabian came within 50 miles to the west of Bermuda on September 5th, 2003, with sustained winds of 117 miles per hour and with gusts of up to 130 miles per hour.
Completed 2005-05-18
Progression of Hurricane Fab …
Title Progression of Hurricane Fabian, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Fabian threatened the Eastern Coast of the United States before it turned northward and hit the island of Bermuda instead. Fabian came within 50 miles to the west of Bermuda on September 5th, 2003, with sustained winds of 117 miles per hour and with gusts of up to 130 miles per hour.
Completed 2005-05-18
Progression of Hurricane Fab …
Title Progression of Hurricane Fabian, 2003 (WMS)
Abstract Hurricane Fabian threatened the Eastern Coast of the United States before it turned northward and hit the island of Bermuda instead. Fabian came within 50 miles to the west of Bermuda on September 5th, 2003, with sustained winds of 117 miles per hour and with gusts of up to 130 miles per hour.
Completed 2005-05-18
Instantaneous Net Radiation …
Title Instantaneous Net Radiation Flux (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the net radiation flux within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. The net flux is the incoming solar flux minus the outgoing reflected (shortwave) and thermal (longwave) radiation. If the flux in a region is positive, the Earth is being warmed by the sun in that region, while cooling regions have a negative flux. It is clear from the animation that the most intensive heating occurs in ocean regions with few clouds, while the second most intense are cloud-free regions over vegetated land areas. Deserts, cloudy regions, and ice caps all reflect enough solar radiation to reduce the amount of heating. Regions of night are, of course, cooling regions because there is no incoming flux at all.
Completed 2005-02-01
Instantaneous Net Radiation …
Title Instantaneous Net Radiation Flux (WMS)
Abstract The Earth's climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun to the Earth's land, oceans, and atmosphere. As the Earth rotates, the sun lights up only part of the Earth at a time, and some of that incoming solar energy is reflected and some is absorbed, depending on type of area it lights. The amount of reflection and absorption is critical to the climate. An instrument named CERES orbits the Earth every 99 minutes and measures the reflected solar energy. This animation shows the net radiation flux within view of CERES during 29 orbits on June 20 and 21 of 2003. The net flux is the incoming solar flux minus the outgoing reflected (shortwave) and thermal (longwave) radiation. If the flux in a region is positive, the Earth is being warmed by the sun in that region, while cooling regions have a negative flux. It is clear from the animation that the most intensive heating occurs in ocean regions with few clouds, while the second most intense are cloud-free regions over vegetated land areas. Deserts, cloudy regions, and ice caps all reflect enough solar radiation to reduce the amount of heating. Regions of night are, of course, cooling regions because there is no incoming flux at all.
Completed 2005-02-01
Cold Water Trails from Hurri …
Title Cold Water Trails from Hurricanes Fabian and Isabel (WMS)
Abstract This visualization shows the cold water trails left first by Hurricanes Fabian and then by Hurricane Isabel in the Atlantic Ocean from August 27, 2003 through September 23, 2003. The colors on the ocean represent the sea surface temperatures, and satellite images of the hurricane clouds are laid over the temperatures to clearly show the hurricane positions. Orange and red depict regions that are 82 degrees F and higher, where the ocean is warm enough for hurricanes to form. Hurricane winds are sustained by the heat energy of the ocean, so the ocean is cooled as the hurricane passes and the energy is extracted to power the winds. A hurricane can experience a dramatic reduction in wind speed when it crosses the cold track of a previous hurricane. However, in this case, the cold water track from Fabian warmed up before Isabel crossed it, so Isabel's winds did not decrease. The sea surface temperatures were measured by the AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite, while the cloud images were taken by the Imager on the GOES-12 satellite.
Completed 2004-02-11
Cold Water Trails from Hurri …
Title Cold Water Trails from Hurricanes Fabian and Isabel (WMS)
Abstract This visualization shows the cold water trails left first by Hurricanes Fabian and then by Hurricane Isabel in the Atlantic Ocean from August 27, 2003 through September 23, 2003. The colors on the ocean represent the sea surface temperatures, and satellite images of the hurricane clouds are laid over the temperatures to clearly show the hurricane positions. Orange and red depict regions that are 82 degrees F and higher, where the ocean is warm enough for hurricanes to form. Hurricane winds are sustained by the heat energy of the ocean, so the ocean is cooled as the hurricane passes and the energy is extracted to power the winds. A hurricane can experience a dramatic reduction in wind speed when it crosses the cold track of a previous hurricane. However, in this case, the cold water track from Fabian warmed up before Isabel crossed it, so Isabel's winds did not decrease. The sea surface temperatures were measured by the AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite, while the cloud images were taken by the Imager on the GOES-12 satellite.
Completed 2004-02-11
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