|
|
Mars River Delta?
| title |
Mars River Delta? |
| description |
A high-resolution TIFF file of this image is available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04869. Details in a fan-shaped deposit discovered by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter provide evidence that some ancient rivers on Mars flowed for a long time, not just in brief, intense floods. The apron of debris filling the middle of this picture from the spacecraft's Mars Orbiter Camera is a hardened and eroded distributory fan, a type of geological feature that includes river deltas and alluvial fans. Sediments transported through valleys by water on early Mars formed the 13-kilometer-long (8-mile) deposit in the distant past, when it was still possible for liquid water to flow across the martian surface. Mars Orbiter Camera team members published discovery of this feature in the online edition of the journal Science. What is important about it? First, it provides unequivocal evidence that some valleys on Mars experienced persistent flow over considerable periods of time, as rivers do on Earth. Second, because the fan is today a deposit of sedimentary rock, it demonstrates that some sedimentary rocks on Mars were deposited in a liquid environment. Third, the fan's general shape, the pattern of its channels, and its low slopes provide circumstantial evidence that the feature was an actual delta -- that is, a deposit made when a river or stream enters a body of water. If so, this landform is a strong indicator that some craters and basins on Mars once held lakes. Hundreds of other locations on Mars where valleys enter craters and basins have been imaged by the Mars Orbiter Camera, but none has shown landforms like those presented here. The picture is a mosaic of images acquired between August 2000 and September 2003. The area covered 14 kilometer (8.7 miles) by 19.3 kilometers (12 miles). North is up. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the left. The spacecraft's narrow-angle camera takes grayscale images, the color added is based on information from a camera on Mars Odyssey. The fan is in an unnamed crater that is 64 kilometers (40 miles) in diameter, at 24.3 degrees south latitude, 33.5 degrees west longitude. The crater lies northeast of a larger one named Holden Crater. The fan is a fossil landform. That is, it is an eroded remnant of a somewhat larger and thicker deposit. The originally loose sediment was turned to rock and then eroded over time to present the features seen today. The channels through which sediment was transported are no longer present. Instead, only their floors remain, and these have been elevated by erosion so that former channels now stand as ridges. The floors of former channels became inverted in this way because they were more resistant to the forces of erosion, indicating they either were more strongly cemented than surrounding materials, or they have more coarse grains (which are harder to remove), or both. *Image Credit*: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
|
A Day in the Lives of Galaxi
…
| Title |
A Day in the Lives of Galaxies |
|
Institute Educator Will Lead
…
| Title |
Institute Educator Will Lead Workshop for British Queen |
| General Information |
What is a News Nugget? News Nuggets are bulletins from the world of astronomy. Queen Elizabeth II will learn about NASA education tomorrow, May 8, when she visits NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Bonnie Eisenhamer, the Hubble Space Telescope Formal Education Manager at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md., will lead an education workshop for local middle school students during the Queen's Goddard visit. This tapestry of galaxies represents a small piece of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF). Imaged September 2003 through January 2004, the HUDF is the deepest visible-light view of the cosmos. This snapshot includes galaxies of various ages, sizes, shapes, and colors. During the workshop, students will use the image to classify the galaxies in the HUDF by shape and color. By analyzing the HUDF image, the students will learn how light is used to explore the universe. Read more: * The Full Story [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2007/21/full/ ] |
|
Hubble Spies a Zoo of Galaxi
…
| Title |
Hubble Spies a Zoo of Galaxies |
| General Information |
What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Gazing deep into the universe, NASA?s Hubble Space Telescope has spied a menagerie of galaxies. Located within the same tiny region of space, these numerous galaxies display an assortment of unique characteristics. Some are big, some are small. A few are relatively nearby, but most are far away. Hundreds of these faint galaxies have never been seen before until their light was captured by Hubble. |
|
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 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Tight) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a narrow view of the US. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Tight) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a narrow view of the US. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Tight) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a narrow view of the US. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Tight) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a narrow view of the US. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Tight) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a narrow view of the US. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Tight) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a narrow view of the US. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
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 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' with time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization displays the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' with time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization displays the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' with time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization displays the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' with time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization displays the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Wide) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a wide area of the United States. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Wide) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a wide area of the United States. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Wide) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a wide area of the United States. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Wide) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a wide area of the United States. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Wide) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a wide area of the United States. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Q
…
| Title |
MODIS Data May Aid EPA Air Quality Predictions (Wide) |
| Abstract |
This visualization shows how MODIS data from NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft may be able to help EPA in producing air quality index forcasts. Currently, most air quality forcasts are generated from gound based measuring stations, however, these stations generally only exist in heavily populated areas. MODIS data may help EPA provide air quality forcasts over much wider areas and with higher accuracy. In this visualization, the EPA air quality data shows as the thin colored boxes sticking out from the surface. The MODIS data is represented by the colored overlay. An event that began over the northwestern US in September 2003 is shown propagating across the US and into the midwest. Notice that the movement of the air mass is evident only from the MODIS data. This version of the animation shows a wide area of the United States. This animation was inspired by a similar animation created at the Langley Research Center. |
| Completed |
2004-06-14 |
|
Antarctic Ozone from TOMS: A
…
| Title |
Antarctic Ozone from TOMS: August 1, 2003 to September 23, 2003 |
| Abstract |
The 2003 Antarctic ozone hole was the second largest ever observed, according to scientists from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The Antarctic ozone 'hole' is defined as thinning of the ozone layer over the continent to levels significantly below pre-1979 levels. Ozone blocks harmful ultraviolet 'B' rays. Loss of stratospheric ozone has been linked to skin cancer in humans and other adverse biological effects on plants and animals. The size of the 2003 Antarctic ozone hole reached 10.9 million square miles on September 11, 2003, slightly larger than the North American continent, but smaller than the largest ever recorded, on September 10, 2000, when it covered 11.5 million square miles. |
| Completed |
2003-09-23 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 with Mean Ice Extent Contour |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. A black line marks the average sea ice extent from 1979-2002. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 with Mean Ice Extent Contour |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. A black line marks the average sea ice extent from 1979-2002. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 with Mean Ice Extent Contour |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. A black line marks the average sea ice extent from 1979-2002. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 with Mean Ice Extent Contour |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. A black line marks the average sea ice extent from 1979-2002. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
September Mean Sea Ice Conce
…
| Title |
September Mean Sea Ice Concentration Anomaly fade from 2002 to 2003 |
| Abstract |
This animation fades between the September mean sea ice concentration anomaly for the years 2002 and 2003. Blue values indicate a loss in sea ice concentration while red values indicate an increase. |
| Completed |
2004-04-08 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' without time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization does not display the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' without time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization does not display the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' without time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization does not display the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' without time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization does not display the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles'
…
| Title |
Closeup of Solar 'Tadpoles' without time tags |
| Abstract |
Here is a close-up view of dark 'tentacles' or 'tadpoles' moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization does not display the instrument clock time tags. |
| Completed |
2003-03-26 |
|
Global TRMM Rainmap, August
…
| Title |
Global TRMM Rainmap, August - September 2003 (WMS) |
| Abstract |
This is a three-hour global rainmap from August 27 through September 8, 2003, as observed by the TRMM satellite. |
| Completed |
2004-02-13 |
|
Global TRMM Rainmap, August
…
| Title |
Global TRMM Rainmap, August - September 2003 (WMS) |
| Abstract |
This is a three-hour global rainmap from August 27 through September 8, 2003, as observed by the TRMM satellite. |
| Completed |
2004-02-13 |
|
| Photo Description |
With a laser beam centered on its solar panel, a lightweight model aircraft is checked out by technician Tony Frakowiak and researcher Tim Blackwell before its power-beamed demonstration flight. |
| Project Description |
Researchers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, and Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville have flight-demonstrated a small-scale aircraft that flies solely by means of propulsive power from an invisible, ground-based infrared laser. Flights of the lightweight, radio-controlled model airplane inside a large building at NASA Marshall are believed to be the first time that a plane has been powered only by laser energy. The demonstration was a key step toward the capability to beam power to an aircraft, allowing it to stay in flight indefinitely -- a concept with potential for the scientific community as well as the remote sensing and telecommunications industries. During the flight demonstration in September 2003, an engineer manually directed the laser's energy beam from a central platform at infrared-sensitive photovoltaic cells carried on a panel on the bottom of the aircraft to power the motor as it flew circles inside the large building. A similar demonstration using a large theatrical spotlight was flown in the summer of 2002 at NASA Dryden, proving that beamed visible light could be used to power the 11-ounce aircraft. The spotlight beamed power to a solar panel attached underneath the aircraft frame that converted the light into electrical energy for the tiny, six-watt motor. An aircraft was flown using microwave energy 20 years ago, but these were the first known demonstrations of beamed light energy to fly an airplane. The lightweight model aircraft used for these demonstrations was controlled using the same over-the-counter radio control instrumentation available to model aircraft hobby enthusiasts. Beaming power via a laser to an aircraft is just one concept being explored by NASA to enable solar-electric powered aircraft to fly through the night when solar energy is not available. Another promising technology that is well along in development would use either regenerative or non-regenerative fuel cell systems to achieve the same purpose. (For more on the power-beaming demonstration, see DFRC news release 03-54, available on-line at chandra.etouch.net/centers/dfrc/Newsroom/NewsReleases/2003/03-54.html). |
| Photo Date |
September 17, 2003 |
|
| Photo Description |
With a laser beam centered on its panel of photovoltaic cells, a lightweight model plane makes the first flight of an aircraft powered by a laser beam inside a building at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. |
| Project Description |
Researchers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, and Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville have flight-demonstrated a small-scale aircraft that flies solely by means of propulsive power from an invisible, ground-based infrared laser. Flights of the lightweight, radio-controlled model airplane inside a large building at NASA Marshall are believed to be the first time that a plane has been powered only by laser energy. The demonstration was a key step toward the capability to beam power to an aircraft, allowing it to stay in flight indefinitely -- a concept with potential for the scientific community as well as the remote sensing and telecommunications industries. During the flight demonstration in September 2003, an engineer manually directed the laser's energy beam from a central platform at infrared-sensitive photovoltaic cells carried on a panel on the bottom of the aircraft to power the motor as it flew circles inside the large building. A similar demonstration using a large theatrical spotlight was flown in the summer of 2002 at NASA Dryden, proving that beamed visible light could be used to power the 11-ounce aircraft. The spotlight beamed power to a solar panel attached underneath the aircraft frame that converted the light into electrical energy for the tiny, six-watt motor. An aircraft was flown using microwave energy 20 years ago, but these were the first known demonstrations of beamed light energy to fly an airplane. The lightweight model aircraft used for these demonstrations was controlled using the same over-the-counter radio control instrumentation available to model aircraft hobby enthusiasts. Beaming power via a laser to an aircraft is just one concept being explored by NASA to enable solar-electric powered aircraft to fly through the night when solar energy is not available. Another promising technology that is well along in development would use either regenerative or non-regenerative fuel cell systems to achieve the same purpose. (For more on the power-beaming demonstration, see DFRC news release 03-54, available on-line at chandra.etouch.net/centers/dfrc/Newsroom/NewsReleases/2003/03-54.html). |
| Photo Date |
September 18, 2003 |
|
| Photo Description |
NASA Dryden project engineer Dave Bushman carefully aims the optics of a laser device at a solar cell panel on a model aircraft during the first flight demonstration of an aircraft powered by laser light. |
| Project Description |
Researchers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, and Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville have flight-demonstrated a small-scale aircraft that flies solely by means of propulsive power from an invisible, ground-based infrared laser. Flights of the lightweight, radio-controlled model airplane inside a large building at NASA Marshall are believed to be the first time that a plane has been powered only by laser energy. The demonstration was a key step toward the capability to beam power to an aircraft, allowing it to stay in flight indefinitely -- a concept with potential for the scientific community as well as the remote sensing and telecommunications industries. During the flight demonstration in September 2003, an engineer manually directed the laser's energy beam from a central platform at infrared-sensitive photovoltaic cells carried on a panel on the bottom of the aircraft to power the motor as it flew circles inside the large building. A similar demonstration using a large theatrical spotlight was flown in the summer of 2002 at NASA Dryden, proving that beamed visible light could be used to power the 11-ounce aircraft. The spotlight beamed power to a solar panel attached underneath the aircraft frame that converted the light into electrical energy for the tiny, six-watt motor. An aircraft was flown using microwave energy 20 years ago, but these were the first known demonstrations of beamed light energy to fly an airplane. The lightweight model aircraft used for these demonstrations was controlled using the same over-the-counter radio control instrumentation available to model aircraft hobby enthusiasts. Beaming power via a laser to an aircraft is just one concept being explored by NASA to enable solar-electric powered aircraft to fly through the night when solar energy is not available. Another promising technology that is well along in development would use either regenerative or non-regenerative fuel cell systems to achieve the same purpose. (For more on the power-beaming demonstration, see DFRC news release 03-54, available on-line at chandra.etouch.net/centers/dfrc/Newsroom/NewsReleases/2003/03-54.html). |
| Photo Date |
September 17, 2003 |
|
Hurricane Isabel
| Title |
Hurricane Isabel |
| Description |
TRMM KEEPS AN EYE ON HURRICANE ISABEL*animations:* small (2 MB MPEG)large [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Sep2003/isabel_pr_small.qt ] (5 MB QuickTime) Hurricane Isabel is now the second major hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic season. Like Hurricane Fabian before it, Isabel originated in the eastern Atlantic from an easterly wave coming off of the coast of Africa and is known as a "Cape Verde" storm. Cape Verde storms are more prominant in the middle part of the hurricane season as sea surface temperatures become more favorable for development in that part of the Atlantic. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is a valuable tool for examining hurricanes especially when they are far out to sea where observations are limited. TRMM captured these two images of Isabel as it tracked across the central Atlantic. The first image was taken at 07:18 UTC (03:18 am AST) on 6 September 2003 just as Isabel was getting organized into a tropical storm. At the time, the system was located 600 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands and within hours would be named a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center with winds estimated at 40 mph. The image provides a top down view of the storm with rainfall rates from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) in the inner swath and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) in the outer swath overlaid on TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) data (white areas). It shows that the rainfall pattern is very asymmetrical and that the system does not yet have a closed eye. However, the VIRS data shows that conditions are favorable for further development. That is, the storm has good outflow as evidenced by the cirrus outflow especially on the northern, western and southern sides of the storm. The second image taken just a couple of days later on 8 September at 21:56 UTC (5:56 pm AST) shows Isabel had strengthened into a major hurricane. It is now very well organized with a well-defined eye and good banding evident in the rainfield (green areas). The PR shows that there is heavy rainfall all along the western and northern eye wall (red and green areas) providing the heat energy that fuels the storm. The VIRS data also shows excellent outflow to all quadrants meaning conditions continue to be favorable for further strengthening. At this time, Isabel was a Category 3 hurricane with winds estimated at 125 mph and was located 1200 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Isabel would later become a Category 4 storm with winds estimated at 135 mph by the National Hurricane Center. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC). |
|
Hurricane Isabel
| Title |
Hurricane Isabel |
| Description |
TRMM KEEPS AN EYE ON HURRICANE ISABEL*animations:* small (2 MB MPEG)large [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Sep2003/isabel_pr_small.qt ] (5 MB QuickTime) Hurricane Isabel is now the second major hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic season. Like Hurricane Fabian before it, Isabel originated in the eastern Atlantic from an easterly wave coming off of the coast of Africa and is known as a "Cape Verde" storm. Cape Verde storms are more prominant in the middle part of the hurricane season as sea surface temperatures become more favorable for development in that part of the Atlantic. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is a valuable tool for examining hurricanes especially when they are far out to sea where observations are limited. TRMM captured these two images of Isabel as it tracked across the central Atlantic. The first image was taken at 07:18 UTC (03:18 am AST) on 6 September 2003 just as Isabel was getting organized into a tropical storm. At the time, the system was located 600 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands and within hours would be named a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center with winds estimated at 40 mph. The image provides a top down view of the storm with rainfall rates from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) in the inner swath and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) in the outer swath overlaid on TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) data (white areas). It shows that the rainfall pattern is very asymmetrical and that the system does not yet have a closed eye. However, the VIRS data shows that conditions are favorable for further development. That is, the storm has good outflow as evidenced by the cirrus outflow especially on the northern, western and southern sides of the storm. The second image taken just a couple of days later on 8 September at 21:56 UTC (5:56 pm AST) shows Isabel had strengthened into a major hurricane. It is now very well organized with a well-defined eye and good banding evident in the rainfield (green areas). The PR shows that there is heavy rainfall all along the western and northern eye wall (red and green areas) providing the heat energy that fuels the storm. The VIRS data also shows excellent outflow to all quadrants meaning conditions continue to be favorable for further strengthening. At this time, Isabel was a Category 3 hurricane with winds estimated at 125 mph and was located 1200 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Isabel would later become a Category 4 storm with winds estimated at 135 mph by the National Hurricane Center. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC). |
|
Hurricane Isabel
| Title |
Hurricane Isabel |
| Description |
TRMM KEEPS AN EYE ON HURRICANE ISABEL*animations:* small (2 MB MPEG)large [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Sep2003/isabel_pr_small.qt ] (5 MB QuickTime) Hurricane Isabel is now the second major hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic season. Like Hurricane Fabian before it, Isabel originated in the eastern Atlantic from an easterly wave coming off of the coast of Africa and is known as a "Cape Verde" storm. Cape Verde storms are more prominant in the middle part of the hurricane season as sea surface temperatures become more favorable for development in that part of the Atlantic. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is a valuable tool for examining hurricanes especially when they are far out to sea where observations are limited. TRMM captured these two images of Isabel as it tracked across the central Atlantic. The first image was taken at 07:18 UTC (03:18 am AST) on 6 September 2003 just as Isabel was getting organized into a tropical storm. At the time, the system was located 600 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands and within hours would be named a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center with winds estimated at 40 mph. The image provides a top down view of the storm with rainfall rates from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) in the inner swath and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) in the outer swath overlaid on TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) data (white areas). It shows that the rainfall pattern is very asymmetrical and that the system does not yet have a closed eye. However, the VIRS data shows that conditions are favorable for further development. That is, the storm has good outflow as evidenced by the cirrus outflow especially on the northern, western and southern sides of the storm. The second image taken just a couple of days later on 8 September at 21:56 UTC (5:56 pm AST) shows Isabel had strengthened into a major hurricane. It is now very well organized with a well-defined eye and good banding evident in the rainfield (green areas). The PR shows that there is heavy rainfall all along the western and northern eye wall (red and green areas) providing the heat energy that fuels the storm. The VIRS data also shows excellent outflow to all quadrants meaning conditions continue to be favorable for further strengthening. At this time, Isabel was a Category 3 hurricane with winds estimated at 125 mph and was located 1200 miles east of the Leeward Islands. Isabel would later become a Category 4 storm with winds estimated at 135 mph by the National Hurricane Center. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC). |
|
Record Harvest in Australia
| Title |
Record Harvest in Australia |
| Description |
After devastating drought in 2002, Australian wheat and barley farmers brought in record crops in the 2003/2004 season. The wheat harvest soared to a record 25 million tons, up 119% from the previous year's drought-stricken crop, says a report [ http://www.fas.usda.gov/wap/current/toc.html ] released by the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service on March 10, 2004. At 8.5 million tons, the barley crop outpaced the previous year's harvest by 130 percent. This pattern of large harvests after drought-stunted years is common. Wanting to recoup their losses, farmers sow more area than normal. In 2002, drought choked the plants feeding livestock on pasture land, and the price of grain was high. Many farmers sold their livestock and converted their land to crop land for 2003. On top of these factors, wheat and barley farmers had an excellent growing season this year, with well-timed rains in most parts of the country, particularly in Western Australia. All of this combined to produce a record harvest. The difference between the two years is clearly visible in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image pair of the southwestern point of Australia. A larger portion of Western Australia is covered with greener vegetation in September 2003, top, compared to September 2002, a sign that all plants, including grain crops, were thriving in 2003. The large images offer a full view of the expanded crop area in the southern tip of Western Australia. The grain crop was harvested in December and January, before February's heat wave [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=11960 ] and floods [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=11916 ]. Fruit and vegetable farmers did not fare so well, according to news reports, which say that the produce cooked on the plants in the high temperatures. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Super Typhoon Maemi
| Title |
Super Typhoon Maemi |
| Description |
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission [ http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] (TRMM) satellite took this image of Typhoon Maemi organizing in the western Pacific about 900 miles east of the northern Philippines. At the time of this overpass, 18:41 UTC on 7 September 2003, Maemi was classified as a Category 1 typhoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center with winds estimated at 75 mph. The image gives a top down view of the storm with rainfall rates overlaid on TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS) data (white areas). The rainfall rates were recorded by the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) in the inner swath and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) in the outer swath. The image shows that Maemi has a partial eyewall, a sign that the storm is not yet fully organized. Rain is falling at an intense 2 inches per hour on the eastern side of the center (semicircular dark red area), releasing heat energy into the core of the storm. TRMM images like this are providing a rare glimpse as to how the eyewall actually comes together in a developing storm. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency NASDA. Image produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC). |
|
McNeil's Nebula
| Title |
McNeil's Nebula |
| Explanation |
It was a clear, cold western Kentucky night [ http://www.wkaa.net/ article.php?articleid=32&cat=NW&ret=index.php ] on January 23rd as seasoned amateur astronomer Jay McNeil tried out his recently acquired 3-inch refracting telescope by imaging the area [ http://wkaa.net/gallery/mcneil/m78Lrgb ] around a familiar object, the M78 reflection nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030121.html ] in Orion. Days later while processing the images, he noted a substantial but totally unfamiliar nebulosity in the region! With a little help from his friends, his amazing discovery [ http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iauc/08200/08284.html ] is now recognized as a newly visible reflection nebula surrounding a newborn star -- McNeil's Nebula [ http://spacsun.rice.edu/~has/ Articles.html#McNeils%20Nebula ]. Pictured here at the center of this close-up [ http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/mcneil.html ], McNeil's Nebula with its illuminating young star [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970619.html ] at the tip, do not appear in images of the area before September 2003. The emergence of McNeil's Nebula [ http://www.rc-astro.com/nebulae/mcneil_anim.htm ] is a rare event to witness and astronomers are eagerly following its development, but Orion will soon lie too close to the Sun in the sky, interrupting further observations for several months. The Orion nebula complex [ http://www.seds.org/messier/more/oricloud.html ] itself is around 1,500 light-years away. At that distance, the above image spans less than 10 light-years. "Update (Feb. 19)": While McNeil's Nebula was not seen on previous images, some dating back to 1951, it is reportedly apparent in an image of the region recorded in the mid-1960s and available on the SEDs [ http://www.seds.org/messier/more/ m078_mcneil.html ] web site. This would indicate that the intriguing reflection nebula and illuminating star are variable, rather than "newly" emerging. |
|
Peculiar Arp 295
| Title |
Peculiar Arp 295 |
| Explanation |
A spectacular bridge of stars and gas [ http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~jhibbard/MergeSeq/mergeseq.html ] stretches for nearly 250,000 light-years and joins this famous peculiar [ http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Arp/frames.html ] pair of galaxies cataloged as Arp 295 [ http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~jhibbard/a295/a295.html ]. The cosmic bridge between the galaxies [ http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/ universe_level2/galaxies.html ] and the long tail extending below and right of picture center are strong evidence that these two immense star systems have passed close to each other [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020506.html ] in the past, allowing violent tides induced by mutual gravity to create the eye-catching plumes [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020502.html ] of stellar material. While such interactions are drawn out over billions of years, repeated close passages [ http://www.npaci.edu/online/v4.9/galaxies2.html ] should ultimately result in the merger of this pair of galaxies into a larger single galaxy of stars. Although this scenario [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query? bibcode=1972ApJ...178..623T&db_key=AST&high=3c862d41db22593 ] does look peculiar, galactic mergers are thought to be common, with Arp 295 representing an early stage of this inevitable process. The Arp 295 pair are the largest of a loose grouping of galaxies about 270 million light-years distant toward the constellation Aquarius. This deep color image [ http://www.ghg.net/akelly/ ] of the region was recorded in September 2003 using the USNO 1 meter telescope [ http://www.nofs.navy.mil/about_NOFS/telescopes/rc.html ] near Flagstaff, Arizona. |
|
Devil-Streaked Crater
PIA04903
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
| Title |
Devil-Streaked Crater |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-562, 2 December 2003 This September 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a plethora of dark streaks created during the recent southern spring by dust devils as they passed over and around an old, nearly filled, meteor impact crater. The circular feature is the former crater, the dark dots and specks on its rims are boulders. Dust devils create streaks by removing or disrupting thin coatings of fine, bright, dust on the surface. These are ephemeral features that will disappear before the next spring arrives in 2005. The crater is located near 57.4°S, 234.0°W. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated from the upper left. |
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