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Gobi Dust Storm
| Title |
Gobi Dust Storm |
| Description |
In early and mid-April 2006, waves of dust washed out of the Gobi Desert and spread across eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. According to news reports, a dust storm that hit South Korea [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13484 ] over the weekend of April 8 was the worst the country had seen in four years. This pair of images shows a massive wave of dust that blew out of deserts in north-central China on April 10, 2006. The top image, captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] on April 7, 2006, shows the landscape of north-central China, including two large, sandy deserts that are part of the Gobi Desert region. Just a few days later, an image from the MODIS sensor on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite shows that the area was completely hidden by a wave of bright dust that reached beyond the Yellow River. Gobi dust is whipped eastward with prevailing winds by spring storms and can spread all the way to the United States. The storms can be hazardous to public health both in terms of air quality and visibility. In addition, the dust storms can devastate croplands and contaminate sensitive electronic equipment. Dust storms in China are on the rise, probably as a result of land degradation, such as deforestation and overgrazing, and drought. The Chinese government has undertaken a large reforestation effort to combat the spread of deserts and to mitigate the effects of dust storms, particularly around urban areas such as Beijing. The large images above are provided at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China3 ] of this area of China in a variety of formats and resolutions. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Gobi Dust Storm
| Title |
Gobi Dust Storm |
| Description |
In early and mid-April 2006, waves of dust washed out of the Gobi Desert and spread across eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. According to news reports, a dust storm that hit South Korea [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13484 ] over the weekend of April 8 was the worst the country had seen in four years. This pair of images shows a massive wave of dust that blew out of deserts in north-central China on April 10, 2006. The top image, captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] on April 7, 2006, shows the landscape of north-central China, including two large, sandy deserts that are part of the Gobi Desert region. Just a few days later, an image from the MODIS sensor on the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite shows that the area was completely hidden by a wave of bright dust that reached beyond the Yellow River. Gobi dust is whipped eastward with prevailing winds by spring storms and can spread all the way to the United States. The storms can be hazardous to public health both in terms of air quality and visibility. In addition, the dust storms can devastate croplands and contaminate sensitive electronic equipment. Dust storms in China are on the rise, probably as a result of land degradation, such as deforestation and overgrazing, and drought. The Chinese government has undertaken a large reforestation effort to combat the spread of deserts and to mitigate the effects of dust storms, particularly around urban areas such as Beijing. The large images above are provided at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution (level of detail) of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China3 ] of this area of China in a variety of formats and resolutions. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
More haze filled the skies of eastern China on September 20, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. Unlike the smog in the region on September 17, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13877 ] however, this haze did not hug the coastal plain east of the Taihang Shan range. Instead, it blended with clouds over the mountains while leaving the coast near the Yellow Sea relatively clear. In this image, the haze appears as a pale, dingy gray mass with ill-defined borders, in contrast to the bright white clouds. Weather patterns, including the presence of Typhoon Shanshan [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13883 ] in the region, may have caused this haze to accumulate in eastern China. Because China's Beijing region is one of the world's most densely populated and is urbanizing rapidly, it produces urban and industrial smog, along with smoke from agricultural fires. Where the skies are clear, cities appear as tan dots surrounded by a green landscape. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
A thick band of haze hung over the low-lying coastal basin of eastern China on September 17, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. The smoggy blanket stretched from Beijing in the north to beyond Shanghai (hidden by clouds and haze in the lower right corner of the scene). The haze is especially thick just east of the Taihang Shan range that runs southward from the capital city along the western edge of the coastal plain. The haze is darker and fuzzier than the bright white clouds in this image. Also visible is thick, tan-colored sediment in the waters along the coastline. The Beijing region of China is one of the world's most densely populated areas, producing its share of urban and industrial smog. Beneath the haze, a scattering of small tan circles—cities—dot the green vegetation of the plain. Agricultural fires in the region may have added to the haze. Even though the amount of haze being generated at the time of the image might not have been above normal, weather conditions may have been responsible for keep the pollution trapped over the area. Typhoon Shanshan, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13864 ] located offshore to the east, may have been trapping the air over the region, preventing the haze from dispersing over the ocean. A similar situation occurred in the United States in the summer of 2002, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/IDEA/ ] when Hurricane Gustav off the Carolinas prevented hazy air in the Southeast from dispersing over the Atlantic Ocean, and then Tropical Storm Hannah in the Gulf of Mexico kept it from escaping to the south. Air quality across the South and Southeast was compromised for many days during the event. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
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Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
Another thick band of haze covered much of the low-lying coastal basin of eastern China on October 2, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. The smog extended from the Liaoning region in the northeast to Beijing in the west, and it stretched southwards past the coast bordering the Yellow Sea. Like the haze that covered the region on September 17, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13877 ] this smog kept to the coastal plain, away from the Taihang Shan Mountains in the west. Likewise, the haze strayed somewhat from the coast around the Yellow Sea. In this image, the relatively clear area along the coast provides a view of the underlying terrain. The tan dots indicate settlements in the otherwise vegetated plain. Among the world's most densely populated areas, China's Beijing region produces considerable urban and industrial smog. Some of the haze in this image may also result from agricultural fires. Weather patterns can sometimes play a role in trapping pollutants over the region. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
|
Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
More haze collected over eastern China's coastal basin November 2, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. The smog extended from the Liaoning region in the northeast to Beijing in the west, and it thickened near the coast bordering the Yellow Sea. Like the haze that covered the region on September 17, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13877 ] this smog kept to the coastal plain, away from the Taihang Shan Mountains in the west. China's Beijing region is one of the world's most densely populated areas, and it produces substantial urban and industrial smog. Some of the haze in this image may also result from agricultural fires. Weather patterns (high-pressure systems) can sometimes play a role in trapping pollutants over the region. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of this region. |
|
Haze over Eastern China
| Title |
Haze over Eastern China |
| Description |
Dense haze completely obscured the North China Plain and the Bo Hai (a bay in the Yellow Sea) when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite flew over on December 20, 2006. The thick brown haze seen here is most common in winter, when coal is burned to provide heat. The haze covers the normally distinctive cities and crop lands and seeps into mountain valleys to the north. A few small clouds float over the brown soup, and low clouds or fog sit under the haze near Beijing. China's State Environmental Protection Administration [ http://english.sepa.gov.cn/ ] reported that the air over Beijing was lightly polluted, the fourth designation on a seven-point scale for air quality where "heavily polluted" is the highest designation. To see twice-daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4 ] of eastern China, please visit the MODIS Rapid Response web site. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Hazy Skies over Southeast As
…
| Title |
Hazy Skies over Southeast Asia and Southern China |
| Description |
Carbon monoxide hung thickly over the Beijing region for much of March 2006. Although the pollutant was relatively mild over the Korean Peninsula and Bo Hai—the body of water immediately west of the peninsula—carbon monoxide grew thicker to the west. This image is a composite of readings from the Measurements of Pollution in The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. The image shows carbon monoxide concentrations between March 1 and March 26, 2006. Dark blue indicates the lowest carbon monoxide concentrations while red indicates the highest. Many of the populous regions in China show relatively high concentrations, in yellow. Although less intense than the region around Beijing, a large portion of Southeast Asia also shows elevated levels of carbon monoxide, in pale blue-green with small patches of yellow. Smoke from fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13444 ] in that region likely contributed to the elevated pollutant. Gray areas show regions where the instrument could not collect data. High-altitude land features, such as the Himalayas, can interfere with MOPITT data collection. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the University of Toronto MOPITT Teams |
|
Dust and Smog in Northeast C
…
| Title |
Dust and Smog in Northeast China |
| Description |
Much of the land surface is obscured in this oblique image of the North China Plain and parts of Inner Mongolia. In this image, a mass of gray smog—mainly industrial pollution and smoke from domestic burning—obscures Beijing and surrounding cities. Numerous plumes with their source points appear within the mass. Beijing suffers some of the worst air pollution in the world from these chronic sources, and the characteristic colors and textures of the smog can be easily seen through the windows of the International Space Station. The pale brown material in Bo Hai Bay, about 300 kilometers east of Beijing, is sediment from the Yellow River and other rivers. Separated from the smog mass by a band of puffy, white cumulus clouds is a light brown plume of dust. The line of white clouds has developed along the steep slope that separates the heavily populated North China Plain—the location of the largest population concentration on Earth—and the sparsely populated semi-desert plains of Inner Mongolia. Most Northern Hemisphere deserts saw dust storms in the spring of 2006, and the Gobi and Taklimakan Deserts of western China were no exception. Dust plumes originating in these deserts typically extend hundreds of kilometers eastward, regularly depositing dust on Beijing, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. Some plumes even extend over the Pacific Ocean. In extreme cases, visible masses of Gobi-derived dust have reached North America. An astronaut handheld-camera image taken in 1996 shows a broad corridor of smog moving off the mainland out into the Pacific Ocean from China's more southerly population center near Taiwan. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=15295 ] Astronaut photograph ISS013-E-21250 [ http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS012&roll=E&frame=21250 ] was acquired March 2, 2006, with a Kodak 760C digital camera using a 50 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and the Image Science & Analysis Group, Johnson Space Center. The image in this article has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. Lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program [ http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.html ] supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. [ http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ ] |
|
Dust Over Japan
| Title |
Dust Over Japan |
| Description |
Something more than clouds hovered over Japan on April 18, 2006. Dust filled the skies as well. The dust traveled to the island nation from the Gobi Desert. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture on April 18. In this image, the eastward-moving, tan dust mingles with white clouds. An especially thick plume of dust heads toward the Korean Peninsula and the island of Japan from the west coast of China. The same day this picture was taken, Japan's Meteorological Agency announced that the dust storm reached Tokyo, the first such weather event in that city in six years. The agency predicted reduced visibility but no health hazards. Research results published in 2005, however, suggested that dust storms may carry bacteria from China to Japan. If the Japanese hoped others could understand the frustrations this dust storm caused, they needed to look no further than Beijing. Spring is the season for Gobi Dust storms, but this storm appeared to be unusually hard on China's citizens. According to news reports, it was the worst in five years, dumping some 300,000 tons of dust on Beijing. It was also the second dust storm to hit that city in a week. According to some reports, Chinese officials planned to seed clouds in hopes of bringing some relief. In 2005, a Nature paper examined China's changing environment. Partially worsened by human actions such as overgrazing and grassland degradation, dust storms began to increase in the 20th century. Between AD 300 and 1949, northwestern China saw a dust storm on average every 31 years. After 1990, the average jumped to one such storm per year. According to news reports, at the time this storm hit, the average rate of dust storms for the Beijing region (in northeastern China) was five or six a year. This storm was the eighth to hit the region in 2006. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] |
|
Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
| Title |
Dust Storm over Eastern China |
| Description |
A large dust storm spread aerosols (airborne particles) over Asia and the Pacific starting on March 9, 2006. The storm reached the Beijing region [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13404 ] on March 10, and the tiny particles remained aloft for several more days. The dust cloud remained intense as it migrated eastward from China over Korea and Japan. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) [ http://aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/instruments/omi/index.html ] flying onboard the Aura [ http://aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html ] satellite captured these images on March 9, 11, and 13. These false-color images show the thickness of dust, smoke, or pollution in the atmosphere. The most intense regions of aerosols appear in bright red. As the images indicate, the aerosols from the dust storm over eastern China remained thick for days afterwards. Not all of the aerosols, however, necessarily resulted from the dust storm. The fairly thick aerosols southeast of the dust storm on March 9 probably resulted from pollution [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13405 ]. On March 11, the heavy aerosols in southeast Asia (lower left corner of image) likely resulted from agricultural fires [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13406 ]. The dust in this storm may have originated in the Gobi Desert. In March and April, dust storms in the Gobi can exceed the total number of storms in that region throughout the rest of the year. It is not uncommon for aerosols from these storms to travel around the world. Images courtesy Colin Seftor and Omar Torres, Aura Science Team. |
|
Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
| Title |
Dust Storm over Eastern China |
| Description |
According to Chinese news reports, a dust storm had been predicted for northern and central China between March 9 and March 12, 2006, and the prediction proved correct. On March 10, a dust storm struck the region of Beijing. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on March 10, 2006. In this mage, dust mingles with clouds over northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula. The dust cloud appears as a pale tan, slightly lighter than the underlying landscape. Dust clouds obscure the view of the city of Beijing. According to Reuters News Service, the dust resulted in a rare phenomenon in South Korea: yellow snow. Snow laced with dust can pose a health hazard, and the Korean weather bureau issued a dust warning. In northeastern China and Mongolia, the storm posed the usual hazards to respiratory tracts and eyes. The Gobi Desert was the likely source of at least some of this dust. Dust storms are far from rare in the Gobi Desert in March. Dust storms in March and April can actually exceed the number of storms for all other months combined. This storm resulted from cold air from Siberia combined with low pressure from Mongolia. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
| Title |
Dust Storm over Eastern China |
| Description |
Alhough spring dust storms are common in eastern China, 2006 surpassed the average year in the frequency and intensity of storms. On May 7, 2006, yet another dust storm swept across the North China Plain and veiled the Bo Hai from view. One reason the dust storms have been so frequent in 2006 is that drought has settled over northern China. Hebei Province and the Yellow River basin, both south of Beijing in the lower left corner of the image, received little rain between February and early May, according to the Foreign Agricultural Service [ http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2006/04/china_18apr2006/ ]. Dry soil is easily lifted in the wind, and frequent dust storms have resulted. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this photo-like image of the dust storm on May 7, 2006. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] |
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Fires and Haze in Eastern Ch
…
| Title |
Fires and Haze in Eastern China |
| Description |
Streaks of thick haze were draped over the North China Plain when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) captured this photo-like image on June 4, 2006, from NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Though it is not possible to tell the source of the haze from a photo-like image like this one, there are several likely contributors. First, dozens of fires, marked in red, are scattered across the southern edge of the plain. A light pall of gray haze lingers over the largest cluster of the fires below the center of the image (more clearly seen in the large image), hinting that smoke may be contributing to the haze. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) expected China's winter grain harvest to peak during the first two weeks of June, and it's likely that the fires were started by farmers burning the stubble off their fields after harvest. Dust may also be mingling in the mix of haze. In the lower-left corner and right of the center of the image, the haze is opaque with the earthy tan tone that is common for wind-blown dust. Eastern China experienced an unusual number of severe sand storms [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13558 ] in the spring of 2006, when weather patterns in Siberia swept powerful winds across the Gobi Desert and carried dust over Eastern China. The dust shown in this image, however, appears to originate from the North China Plain. Mild drought [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13592 ] settled over the Yellow River Basin, the area immediately north of the band of fires, after a dry spring, reported the FAS. Since dry soil is easily lifted on the wind, the likelihood of dust storms on the plain increases during drought. Finally, urban and industrial pollution could be adding to the haze, particularly in the north. Here, the haze is lighter in color, resembling the white-gray air that sometimes lingers over cities. Several of China's largest cities are in or near the area shown in this image (Beijing is just beyond the top edge of the image), and much of China's industry is in this region as well. The large image provided above is at MODIS' maximum resolution (level of detail), 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4/2006155 ] of Eastern China in a variety of resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Smog and Sand over Beijing
| Title |
Smog and Sand over Beijing |
| Description |
Pollution blanketed Beijing on March 5, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image the same day. In this image, pollution tints nearly the entire area a uniform shade of brownish gray. Thick sediment likewise clouds the waters of Bo Hai, immediately to the southeast of the city. Only a band of white clouds contrasts with the rest of the image. A report in Nature in 2005 indicated that 75 percent of the people in China's urban areas lived below the country's air-quality standard. In Beijing, this problem was exacerbated by the city's sheer size. As of 2003, it was one of the world's megacities, home to more than 10 million residents. As of early 2006, however, the Chinese government expressed a desire to address the problem of unrestrained growth. According to news reports, the Chinese government called for slower growth through 2011, partly in hopes of fostering a cleaner environment. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
|
Smog and Sand over Beijing
| Title |
Smog and Sand over Beijing |
| Description |
During the early part of the year, there is considerable outflow of pollution from China and Southeast Asia. Carbon monoxide is a good tracer of this pollution because it is produced by incomplete combustion processes such as the burning of fossil fuels in urban and industrial areas, the use of biofuels in developing countries, and by biomass burning in the tropics. This false-color image shows the concentrations of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere off the coast of Asia and out over the Pacific Ocean. This image represents a composite of data collected during February 2006 by the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument aboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. The colors represent the amount of carbon monoxide in a column of air, given in molecules per square centimeter. The gray areas show where no data were collected due to persistent cloud cover. Pollution plumes from Asia can be observed in satellite imagery as they spread far out over the Pacific Ocean, and in some instances the plumes reach the western coast of the United States. Over China, industrial emissions are mainly responsible for the high levels of carbon monoxide observed in the image. In Southeast Asia (lower left corner), February and March are months for widespread agricultural burning, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13406 ] and the carbon monoxide over that region may be from the high number of fires. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the Univeristy of Toronto MOPITT teams. |
|
Smog and Sand over Beijing
| Title |
Smog and Sand over Beijing |
| Description |
Thick smog hung over the Beijing region on April 10, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, smog appears as a hazy cloud of grey that obscures the view of the land surface. Immediately east of the smog are white clouds. According to news reports, unrest over pollution was on the rise in China in the spring of 2006. The Chinese government took steps to curb the problem, implementing a five-year economic plan aimed at improved energy efficiency, including a tax on luxury cars with large engines. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] |
|
Smog and Sand over Beijing
| Title |
Smog and Sand over Beijing |
| Description |
Thick sand from one of China's famed sandstorms clouded the air over Beijing on April 17, 2006. The storm swept east from the border region between China and Mongolia and blanketed cities across China with gritty yellow sand. The storm was the eighth and worst such storm of 2006, reported the BBC. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture on the morning of April 17. In this image, a thick band of tan dust obscures the view of the land surface below. Immediately east of the sandstorm are thick clouds, colored tan by the airborne dust. Along the coastlines, brownish sediments from both China and the Korean Peninsula cloud the Yellow Sea. As Terra captured this image, The Korea Times predicted that the storm would strike Korea on the evening of April 17, 2006. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] |
|
Snow in East China
| Title |
Snow in East China |
| Description |
Winter snow painted the North China Plain white in a storm that snarled traffic on February 6, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image the following day. The snow highlights how densely populated this region is. Cities are dark spots against the fresh white snow. The largest city shown here is Beijing, but dark dots of varying sizes cover the plain, connected in places by thin, barely perceptible lines that are probably roads. In the large image, the snow extends far to the south over the Yellow River Valley. In the south, the most obvious features are not cities, though they are clearly visible, but intricate grids probably created by canals, roads, and farmland. Falling immediately after Chinese Lunar New Year, the snow was seen as a token of good luck, said news reports. The large image provided above has a resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_China4/2006038 ] of the region in a variety of resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Fires and Haze in Eastern Ch
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Streaks of thick haze were d
…
China_TMO_2006155
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-06-04 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
China_TMO_2006155 |
|
Dust and Smog in Northeast C
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Much of the land surface is
…
ISS012-E-21250
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-03-02 |
| creator |
NASA -- Astronaut photograph eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS012&roll=E&frame=21250 ISS013-E-21250 was acquired March 2, 2006, with a Kodak 760C digital camera using a 50 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and the Image Science & Analysis Group, Johnson Space Center. The image in this article has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. Lens artifacts have been removed. The spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.html International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. |
| identifier |
ISS012-E-21250 |
|
Winter in the Dasht-e-Lut De
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
An International Space Stati
…
ISS012-E-18779
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-02-28 |
| creator |
NASA -- Astronaut photograph eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS012&roll=E&frame=18779 ISS012-E-18779 was acquired February 28, 2006, with a Kodak 760C digital camera using an 180 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and the Image Science & Analysis Group, Johnson Space Center. The image in this article has been cropped and contrast enhanced, lens artifacts have also been removed. The spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.html International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. |
| identifier |
ISS012-E-18779 |
|
Haze over Eastern China: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Another thick band of haze c
…
chinasmog_amo_2006275
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-10-02 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
chinasmog_amo_2006275 |
|
Haze over Eastern China: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
More haze filled the skies o
…
chinahaze_tmo_2006263
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-09-20 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
chinahaze_tmo_2006263 |
|
Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
A large dust storm spread ae
…
asia_omi_2006072
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-03-09 |
| creator |
NASA -- Images courtesy Colin Seftor and Omar Torres, Aura Science Team. |
| identifier |
asia_omi_2006072 |
|
Haze over Eastern China: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Dense haze completely obscur
…
China_AMO_2006354
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-12-20 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
China_AMO_2006354 |
|
Dust Storm Spreads Out of Go
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
In early and mid-April 2006,
…
China_dust.TMO2006097
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-04-10 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA images courtesy the rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. |
| identifier |
China_dust.TMO2006097 |
|
Dust Storm Spreads Out of Go
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
In early and mid-April 2006,
…
China_dust.TMO2006097
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-04-10 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA images courtesy the rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. |
| identifier |
China_dust.TMO2006097 |
|
Dust over Japan: Image of th
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Something more than clouds h
…
japan_tmo_2006108
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-04-18 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. |
| identifier |
japan_tmo_2006108 |
|
Smog over Beijing: Image of
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Pollution blanketed Beijing
…
chinahaze_amo_2006064
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-03-05 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA image the rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
| identifier |
chinahaze_amo_2006064 |
|
Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Alhough spring dust storms a
…
echina_tmo_2006127
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-05-07 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
echina_tmo_2006127 |
|
Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
According to Chinese news re
…
echina_AMO_2006069
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-03-12 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Rapid Response team. |
| identifier |
echina_AMO_2006069 |
|
Smog and Sand over Beijing:
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Thick smog hung over the Bei
…
nechina_tmo_2006100
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-04-10 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
nechina_tmo_2006100 |
|
Haze over Eastern China: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
A thick band of haze hung ov
…
chinahaze_tmo_2006260
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-09-17 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
chinahaze_tmo_2006260 |
|
Haze over Eastern China: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
More haze collected over eas
…
chinahaze_tmo_2006306
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-11-02 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
chinahaze_tmo_2006306 |
|
Driving Ban Lowers Beijing P
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Like most of the world's cit
…
china_omi_2006313
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-11-06 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of Yuxuan Wang, Harvard University and the Aura OMI Science Team. |
| identifier |
china_omi_2006313 |
|
November 2006 Smog Event, U.
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
While atmospheric pollution
…
STS31-151-155_lrg
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-11-10 |
| creator |
NASA -- The eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ESC&ID=ISS014-E-7738 upper astronaut photograph was acquired November 10, 2006, with a Kodak 760C digital camera using an 80 mm lens. The eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ISD&ID=STS031-151-155 lower image was acquired April 26, 1990, with a Linhof camera using a 90 mm lens. The images are provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The images in this article have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. The spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.html International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. |
| identifier |
STS31-151-155_lrg |
|
November 2006 Smog Event, U.
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
While atmospheric pollution
…
STS31-151-155_lrg
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-11-10 |
| creator |
NASA -- The eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ESC&ID=ISS014-E-7738 upper astronaut photograph was acquired November 10, 2006, with a Kodak 760C digital camera using an 80 mm lens. The eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ISD&ID=STS031-151-155 lower image was acquired April 26, 1990, with a Linhof camera using a 90 mm lens. The images are provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The images in this article have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. The spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.html International Space Station Program supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. |
| identifier |
STS31-151-155_lrg |
|
Hazy Skies over Southeast As
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Carbon monoxide hung thickly
…
seasia_mop_2006085
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-03-26 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
seasia_mop_2006085 |
|
Dust Storm over Eastern Chin
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Thick sand from one of China
…
nechina_tmo_2006107
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-04-17 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
nechina_tmo_2006107 |
|
| General Description |
International Space Station Imagery |
|
|
