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Biomass Burning in Southeast
…
| Title |
Biomass Burning in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Dozens of fires (red pixels) were burning in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia on April 2, 2002. There was a particularly large fire just southwest of Ho Chi Minh City near the southernmost tip of Vietnam. Note the large, grey smoke plume blowing westward in this scene. This image was acquired by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modarch.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] (MODIS), flying aboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Please note that the high-resolution scene provided here is 500 meters per pixel. For a copy of this scene at the sensor?s fullest resolution, visit the MODIS Rapidfire [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2002092-0402 ] site. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] at NASA GSFC |
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Drought in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Drought in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Southeast Asia?s rainy season came to an early end in October 2004, and since that time, little rain has fallen on the Indochina Peninsula and parts of southern China. The dry spell has launched the region into the worst drought it has seen in years, with wells and reservoirs drying, crops withering, and, for some, food shortages. The effects of the drought are clearly visible in this image, generated from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] and Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellites between February 18 and March 5, 2005. The image shows vegetation anomaly, a measure of plant density and health over a wide area. To determine the state of vegetation this year, the data are compared to the average of vegetation measurements collected during the same period in 2000 to 2004. Regions that are drier, where plants are less dense and healthy than normal, are brown, while areas with denser-than-average vegetation are green. In the latter half of February 2005, Southeast Asia was very dry, with plants showing clear signs of drought stress. Clouds, masked out in grey, covered much of southern China, central Vietnam, Laos, and parts of Thailand and Cambodia during this two-week period. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by the joint Global Agricultural Monitoring Project between NASA, USDA?s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and the University of Maryland. More data and information about this joint project is available at Satellite Information for Agricultural Monitoring [ http://tripwire.geog.umd.edu/usda/ ]. |
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Fires and Smoke in Thailand
| Title |
Fires and Smoke in Thailand |
| Description |
As can be seen in this true-color scene acquired on March 13, 2002, there were many fires burning across Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia on March 13, 2002, filling the skies with smoke across much of the landscape. This image was acquired by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modarch.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] (MODIS), flying aboard NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. The red boxes (see the high-resolution image) indicate the areas recently burned or still burning. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] at NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
This image of fires (red dots) in Myanmar (left) and Thailand (right) shows just a fraction of the area in Southeast Asia experiencing widespread and intense biomass burning on April 10, 2003. See the high resolution image for the entire area, which also shows parts of India, China, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS? maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
On April 8, 2003, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite captured this image of biomass burning across Southeast Asia. At left, Bangladesh is free of fires, while to the east, fires are visible (marked with red dots) in India, Myanmar (center), and (top right to bottom) China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. Compare this image to the Aqua image of the same area taken later in the day. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS? maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Across Southeast Asia, the biomass burning season is in high gear in mid-March 2004. This is the time of year for agricultural burning?clearing farmland and renewing farmland and rangeland to prepare for the coming spring growing season. In this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from March 15, 2004, scores of fires were detected by the sensor during aTerra satellite overpass, and they are marked with red dots. A thick blanket of blue-gray smoke hangs over the right half of the image, shrouding Cambodia (bottom right), Thailand, (to the northwest), Laos (northeast of Thailand), and parts of southern China (top right) and Myanmar (to the west). The widespread nature of the fires suggests that these fires are being set intentionally for agricultural purposes. Though not necessarily immediately hazardous, such large-scale burning can have a strong impact on weather, climate, human health, and natural resources. The high-resolution image provided above is 1 kilometer per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Thick, blue-gray smoke hangs over Southeast Asia as the annual agricultural burning season continues. Scores of fires were detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite during an overpass on March 24, 2004, and have been marked with red dots in the image. Countries shown are (clockwise from top left) Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. The Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) captured an image of the smoke drifting far eastward over the South China Sea. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Across Southeast Asia, many fires were burning on December 12, 2004. At top right, fires are burning in southern China, and what may be a mixture of smoke and air pollution from energy production pools in low-lying areas of the mountainous topography. Moving counterclockwise around the scene from China, the image shows parts of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In the bottom left corner is the Gulf of Thailand, with Thailand along the left edge. The red dots in the image show the locations of fires detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Seasonal agricultural burning continued to intensify across Southeast Asia on December 26, 2004. In this image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Terra satellite, the locations of actively burning fires across Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos are marked with red dots. Two particularly concentrated areas of burning are visible. One is in the northern part of the broad river valley in western Thailand, at image left. The other is to the west of the Tônlé Sap (a large lake that quintuples in size during the wet phase of the monsoon) in Cambodia. The widespread nature of the fires, their location (generally located away from remaining natural vegetation, which appears deeper green), and the time of year suggest that these fires are being set intentionally for agricultural purposes. Though not necessarily immediately hazardous, such large-scale burning can have a strong impact on weather, climate, human health, and natural resources. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Fires were burning in a variety of locations and types of vegetation in Southeast Asia when this image was captured on December 21, 2004, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Aqua satellite. In the center of the scene, scattered fires are burning in Thailand?s central cropland region. At left, smoke fills a low-lying valley that is dominated by irrigated rice paddies. The green of the irrigated crops contrasts with the tan of the other crop regions, this time of year, the climate is dominated by the relatively cool and dry conditions brought on by the northeast monsoon. In the lower right, the Mekong River shows up prominently as it flows southward through some of the region's remaining tropical forests. The Mekong River is to Southeast Asia what the Colorado River is to the U.S. West. Many countries along its path?including China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam?depend on the river for irrigation and drinking water. Also like the Colorado River, increasing demands for water and the dams and other infrastructure needed to supply it disrupt the natural flood cycle on the Mekong. The diruption can create environmental problems that become human problems, such as a decline in fish stocks in places where fish is the major source of protein in people?'s diets. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
On January 20, 2005, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Aqua satellite captured this image of Southeast Asia showing active fires (red outlines) burning across several countries: (clockwise from top left) Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. These fires are the product of the annual, agricultural burning season. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. . The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
On February 7, 2005, scattered fires were burning across Southeast Asia. The fires were detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite, and their locations have been marked in red in this image. South of image center the sediment-filled Tônlé Sap is surrounded by a border of deep green, wetland vegetation. Small clouds create white speckles through the center of the scene. The densest concentration of fires is located to the northeast of Tônlé Sap in Cambodia. Other prominent clusters of fires appear to the north in Laos. In the lower left quadrant of the scene, the deep blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean (left edge) are brightened by smoke. The high-resolution image provided above is at a spatial resolution of 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. Image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
On February 17, 2005, seasonal burning in Southeast Asia was widespread. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite passed over head, the sensor detected scores of active fires (locations marked in red) across (clockwise from top left) Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Although seasonal agricultural burning is common this time of year, it is not possible to know if all of these fires are agricultural in purpose. Some may be fires that escaped into forest or other non-agricultural areas from adjacent agricultural land. Though not necessarily immediately hazardous, such large-scale burning can have a strong impact on weather, climate, human health, and natural resources. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Forest fires have broken out across many countries in Southeast Asia in late February 2005. Although seasonal agricultural burning also takes place this time of year, news reports indicates that many countries are battling forest fires as well. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite shows parts of four Southeast Asian countries: southeast Myanmar, at upper left, northern Laos, at upper right, Thailand, in the center, and northern Cambodia, at lower right. Active fire locations detected by MODIS have been marked in red, and thick smoke hangs over much of the scene. In northern Thailand (near image center), smoke was so thick that all air travel into the region's hub city of Chiang Mai was cancelled on February 28. Although it is not possible to be certain from this satellite image which of these fires are agricultural in purpose and which are forest fires, it's likely that fires burning in places where the landscape appears tan or light green, such as in the large plain to the right of image center or in the broad river valley at upper left, are related to crop stubble clearing or other agricultural activities. The intensely smoky fires located in places covered with deep green vegetation, such as along the peninsula running southward from image center, are more likely candidates for forest fires. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
According to news reports from Southeast Asia, the end of the dry phase of the Southeast Asian monsoon in the spring of 2005 found numerous countries facing a crippling drought. In March 2005, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and southern China were experiencing some of the most severe drought conditions in decades. In the face of such dry conditions, both natural and human-caused fires become more likely. This image of Southeast Asia on March 30, 2005, was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Aqua satellite. Superimposed on the sensor's digital-photo-like image are red dots that show locations where MODIS detected actively burning fires. Hundreds of smoky fires, probably a mixture of agricultural fires and wildfires, span the region from Myanmar in the west to Laos in the east. The high-resolution image provided above has a spatial resolution of 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional resolutions. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
In Southeast Asia, both accidental and intentional fires are common in the annual dry season, which occurs during Northern Hemisphere winter months. People set fires to clear cropland before the spring rains arrive, and also to stimulate new pasture. People also use fire to clear the region's tropical forests for new agricultural land. This image from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite shows scores of fires burning across parts of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China on February 21, 2007. Places where MODIS detected active fires are marked in red. A few fires appear to be large and smoky, which might indicate that forest or moisture-rich vegetation is burning. Though it is not necessarily immediately hazardous, such large-scale burning can have a strong impact on weather, climate, human health, and natural resources. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Fires (red dots) in Thailand (left), Cambodia (center), and Vietnam (right) are producing smoky skies over Southeast Asia. (Between Thailand and Vietnam is Laos.) Running southward through Cambodia, a broad section of the Mekong River stands out in brown against green vegetation. This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image was acquired by the Terra satellite on January 13, 2003. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Biomass burning in Southeast Asia peaks in late winter or early spring as farmers begin to prepare land for seasonal planting. The widespread nature of the burning creates a seasonal pattern of emissions that play a significant role in regional air pollution, including tropospheric ozone. (Ozone can be both beneficial and harmful in the atmosphere, depending on its altitude. High up in the stratosphere, ozone protects the planet from harmful UV radiation. Closer to earth, tropospheric ozone is a harmful air pollutant.) Like most parts of the world, the burning in Southeast Asia exhibits a diurnal (daily) cycle, in which burning is less widespread in the morning and increases throughout the day. Compare this morning image of Southeast Asia, including (left to right) Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite to the same area captured by Aqua MODIS in the afternoon. Note the dramatic increase in fires (red dots) in the afternoon image. This image was acquired Jan. 31, 2003. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Biomass burning in Southeast Asia peaks in late winter or early spring as farmers begin to prepare land for seasonal planting. The widespread nature of the burning creates a seasonal pattern of emissions that play a significant role in regional air pollution, including tropospheric ozone. (Ozone can be both beneficial and harmful in the atmosphere, depending on its altitude. High up in the stratosphere, ozone protects the planet from harmful UV radiation. Closer to earth, tropospheric ozone is a harmful air pollutant.) Like most parts of the world, the burning in Southeast Asia exhibits a diurnal (daily) cycle, in which burning is less widespread in the morning and increases throughout the day. Compare this afternoon image of Southeast Asia, including (left to right) Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite to the same area captured by Terra MODIS in the morning. Note the dramatic increase in fires (red dots) in the afternoon image. This image was acquired Jan. 31, 2003. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
Wildfires and agricultural fires are widespread in the southeast Asian countries of Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia from February to April each year, and have been responsible for severe deforestation in the region. The impact of these intense local pollution sources on regional air quality can be monitored from space using satellite remote sensing. This false-color image shows carbon monoxide plumes at an altitude of roughly 3 km (700 millibars) in the atmosphere over southeast Asia. This image represents a composite of data collected from February 20-25, 2003, by the Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument aboard NASA?s Terra satellite. The gray areas show where no data were collected, either due to persistent cloud cover or gaps between viewing swaths. Carbon monoxide is a good tracer of pollution since it is produced as a by-product of the combustion associated with biomass burning. The regions of high carbon monoxide correlate well with earlier observations of the source fires made by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Image courtesy the NCAR and University of Toronto MOPITT Teams |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
On Tuesday afternoon, March 4, 2003, NASA?s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite detected hundreds of fires burning across Southeast Asia. This close to the equator, spring-like weather is firmly underway, and fires are being set to clear land for planting and stimulate new growth of pasture grasses. This biomass burning peaks in late winter or early (true) spring, but not before it significantly impacts air quality for hundreds, even thousands of miles around. This image shows (clockwise from top right) China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos (east) and Thailand (west), and Myanmar. Notice the widespread deforestation, especially in eastern Thailand and Cambodia. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS? maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image shows fires (red dots) in Southeast Asia on the morning of March 18, 2003. Large portions of Thailand (center), Cambodia (bottom right), and Laos (upper right) are pictured in the scene. Notice the dramatic difference in fire activity compared to the afternoon. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS? maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Fires in Southeast Asia
| Title |
Fires in Southeast Asia |
| Description |
This true-color Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image shows fires (red dots) in Southeast Asia on the afternoon of March 18, 2003. Large portions of Thailand (center), Cambodia (bottom right), and Laos (upper right) are pictured in the scene. Notice the dramatic increase in fire activity as compared to the morning. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS? maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia
| Title |
Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia |
| Description |
*large images:* October 9, 2002 (2.6 MB JPEG) January 29, 2003 (2.8 MB JPEG) Southeast Asia's Mekong River flows thousands of miles from its source in the highland plateau of Tibet to its outlet into the South China Sea. The river runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The giant river is a valuable, and in some countries a pivotal, natural resource, and has supported hundreds of thousands of people through farming and fishing for centuries. Among the most interesting features of the river is that monsoon-season rainfall swells the river's volume so greatly that in low-lying Cambodia, one of the Mekong's southernmost tributaries is forced to reverse course against the rushing floodwaters. Beginning in June, the roughly 100-kilometer-long (62 miles) Tonle Sap River will begin to be inundated by the rising waters of the Mekong, and will slowly backtrack and begin filling the Tonle Sap Lake. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images above show the Tonle Sap during the dry and wet seasons. Vegetation appears bright green, standing water is dark blue, and clouds are light blue or white. In the bottom scene, the Mekong can be seen flowing in at the top to the right of center, and the Tonle Sap makes a distinct blue splash to the west. By October, much of central Cambodia is underwater (top scene). The seasonal floods swell the Tonle Sap—the Great Lake—from its dry season low of a few thousand square kilometers in surface area and a depth of around two meters to as many as 12,000 square kilometers and a depth of ten meters (1 square kilometer is about .4 square miles, 1 meter is 3.3 feet). The ecological importance of the seasonal flood cycle can't be overstated. The huge lake and surrounding wetlands created by the flooding support a diverse freshwater fish ecosystem, and the silt deposited by the floods renews forest and farmland alike. As the countries along the course of the Mekong make plans for more upstream dams and navigation channels, the seasonal cycle of the lower Mekong becomes threatened, as do the fisheries and farmlands dependent on it. What is good for one country or region might have devastating consequences for another. The governments in the area face a difficult problem as they try to balance the competing interests of flood control, hydroelectric power, shipping, fishing, agriculture, and environmental protection. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia
| Title |
Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia |
| Description |
*large images:* October 9, 2002 (2.6 MB JPEG) January 29, 2003 (2.8 MB JPEG) Southeast Asia's Mekong River flows thousands of miles from its source in the highland plateau of Tibet to its outlet into the South China Sea. The river runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The giant river is a valuable, and in some countries a pivotal, natural resource, and has supported hundreds of thousands of people through farming and fishing for centuries. Among the most interesting features of the river is that monsoon-season rainfall swells the river's volume so greatly that in low-lying Cambodia, one of the Mekong's southernmost tributaries is forced to reverse course against the rushing floodwaters. Beginning in June, the roughly 100-kilometer-long (62 miles) Tonle Sap River will begin to be inundated by the rising waters of the Mekong, and will slowly backtrack and begin filling the Tonle Sap Lake. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images above show the Tonle Sap during the dry and wet seasons. Vegetation appears bright green, standing water is dark blue, and clouds are light blue or white. In the bottom scene, the Mekong can be seen flowing in at the top to the right of center, and the Tonle Sap makes a distinct blue splash to the west. By October, much of central Cambodia is underwater (top scene). The seasonal floods swell the Tonle Sap—the Great Lake—from its dry season low of a few thousand square kilometers in surface area and a depth of around two meters to as many as 12,000 square kilometers and a depth of ten meters (1 square kilometer is about .4 square miles, 1 meter is 3.3 feet). The ecological importance of the seasonal flood cycle can't be overstated. The huge lake and surrounding wetlands created by the flooding support a diverse freshwater fish ecosystem, and the silt deposited by the floods renews forest and farmland alike. As the countries along the course of the Mekong make plans for more upstream dams and navigation channels, the seasonal cycle of the lower Mekong becomes threatened, as do the fisheries and farmlands dependent on it. What is good for one country or region might have devastating consequences for another. The governments in the area face a difficult problem as they try to balance the competing interests of flood control, hydroelectric power, shipping, fishing, agriculture, and environmental protection. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
|
Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia
| Title |
Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia |
| Description |
*large images:* October 9, 2002 (2.6 MB JPEG) January 29, 2003 (2.8 MB JPEG) Southeast Asia's Mekong River flows thousands of miles from its source in the highland plateau of Tibet to its outlet into the South China Sea. The river runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The giant river is a valuable, and in some countries a pivotal, natural resource, and has supported hundreds of thousands of people through farming and fishing for centuries. Among the most interesting features of the river is that monsoon-season rainfall swells the river's volume so greatly that in low-lying Cambodia, one of the Mekong's southernmost tributaries is forced to reverse course against the rushing floodwaters. Beginning in June, the roughly 100-kilometer-long (62 miles) Tonle Sap River will begin to be inundated by the rising waters of the Mekong, and will slowly backtrack and begin filling the Tonle Sap Lake. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images above show the Tonle Sap during the dry and wet seasons. Vegetation appears bright green, standing water is dark blue, and clouds are light blue or white. In the bottom scene, the Mekong can be seen flowing in at the top to the right of center, and the Tonle Sap makes a distinct blue splash to the west. By October, much of central Cambodia is underwater (top scene). The seasonal floods swell the Tonle Sap—the Great Lake—from its dry season low of a few thousand square kilometers in surface area and a depth of around two meters to as many as 12,000 square kilometers and a depth of ten meters (1 square kilometer is about .4 square miles, 1 meter is 3.3 feet). The ecological importance of the seasonal flood cycle can't be overstated. The huge lake and surrounding wetlands created by the flooding support a diverse freshwater fish ecosystem, and the silt deposited by the floods renews forest and farmland alike. As the countries along the course of the Mekong make plans for more upstream dams and navigation channels, the seasonal cycle of the lower Mekong becomes threatened, as do the fisheries and farmlands dependent on it. What is good for one country or region might have devastating consequences for another. The governments in the area face a difficult problem as they try to balance the competing interests of flood control, hydroelectric power, shipping, fishing, agriculture, and environmental protection. Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Typhoon Xangsane Floods Viet
…
| Title |
Typhoon Xangsane Floods Vietnam |
| Description |
Typhoon Xangsane slammed into the coast of Vietnam on October 1, 2006, pounding the coastal city of Da Nang with sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour) and heavy rain. The storm moved west over Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, and by October 3, the clouds had cleared enough to give the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite a view of the hard-hit Vietnam coast. The image, top, reveals that Xangsane left extensive flooding in its wake. The land between the Vu Gia River and the Thu Bon River is covered with water. Mud gives the water on land its pale blue color in contrast to the dark blue and black seen in the ocean. As the sediment-laden water empties into the ocean, it pours a cloud of sediment into the ocean. The sediment creates the bright blue fan along the shore and in the bay near Da Nang. Though flooding isn't visible in Da Nang itself, the sediment in the bay suggests that the region may be flooded. Most obviously flooded is Hoi An, a historic port city that is a World Heritage Site. [ http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=948 ] The image shows that the Thu Bon River had burst its banks and was flowing through the city. According to the Associated Press, [ http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/2006-10-03-asia-typhoon_x.htm ] Typhoon Xangsane caused extensive damage in Da Nang, Hoi An, and the surrounding communities. The storm had killed 119 people as of October 2. Of these deaths, 41 were in Vietnam, and the remaining 78 were in the Philippines. In the city of Da Nang, which has 770,000 residents, 12,000 homes were destroyed and 113,000 were damaged, said the Associated Press. The lower image shows the region on September 9, 2006, and provides a perspective on normal conditions. Both images were created with a combination of visible and infrared light, which increases the contrast between water and land. In these images, water ranges from black to light blue, the color being lighter when the water is filled with sediment. Clouds are turquoise blue and white, plant-covered land is bright green, and bare earth, such as the cities or the beach, is tan. Red boxes outline regions where MODIS detected fires. Photo-like, true-color versions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_Indochina/2006276 ] of the images are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Widespread Fires in Southeas
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
According to news reports fr
…
Myanmar.AMOA2005089
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2005-03-30 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
| identifier |
Myanmar.AMOA2005089 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
On January 20, 2005, the Mod
…
SEAsia.AMOA2005020
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2005-01-20 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
SEAsia.AMOA2005020 |
|
Mekong Floods Fill Tonle Sap
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
The monsoon season in Southe
…
Mekong.A2001258.0330.123
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2001-09-15 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, modis-land.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
| identifier |
Mekong.A2001258.0330.123 |
|
Mekong Floods Fill Tonle Sap
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
The monsoon season in Southe
…
Mekong.A2001258.0330.123
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2001-09-15 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, modis-land.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
| identifier |
Mekong.A2001258.0330.123 |
|
Fires in Thailand and Cambod
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Many fires (red pixels) were
…
Thailand_2002008
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2002-01-08 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, modis-land.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
| identifier |
Thailand_2002008 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Thick, blue-gray smoke hangs
…
Indochina.AMOA2004084
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-03-24 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Indochina.AMOA2004084 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Seasonal agricultural burnin
…
Pimai.AMOA2004361
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-12-26 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Pimai.AMOA2004361 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Across Southeast Asia, many
…
aqua_seasia_12dec04
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-12-12 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
aqua_seasia_12dec04 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Across Southeast Asia, the b
…
Myanmar.TMOA2004074
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-03-15 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Myanmar.TMOA2004074 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Biomass burning in Southeast
…
Indochina.TMOA2003031
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-01-31 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Indochina.TMOA2003031 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
On Tuesday afternoon, March
…
Indochina.AMOA2003063
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-03-04 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Indochina.AMOA2003063 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Forest fires have broken out
…
seasia_amo_28feb05
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2005-02-28 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
seasia_amo_28feb05 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Fires (red dots) in Thailand
…
Indochina.TMOA2003013
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-01-13 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Indochina.TMOA2003013 |
|
Fires Throughout Thailand, M
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
For the past two months, wil
…
modis_thai_20020405
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2002-04-05 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
| identifier |
modis_thai_20020405 |
|
Wet-Season Floods Along the
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
August is often a critical t
…
Mekong_RST_2006240
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-03-13 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image product by www.hatfieldgroup.com Hatfield Consultants Ltd. RADARSAT-1 images copyright the Canadian Space Agency |
| identifier |
Mekong_RST_2006240 |
|
Floods in Southeast Asia : I
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
*New Space Views of Southeas
…
modis_vietnam
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2000 |
| creator |
NASA -- Images courtesy Robert Brakenridge |
| identifier |
modis_vietnam |
|
Tonle Sap Wetlands, Cambodia
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
large images: eoimages.gsfc.
…
tonle_sap
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2002-10-09 |
| creator |
NASA -- Image courtesy Jesse Allen, based on data from the rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
| identifier |
tonle_sap |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
This true-color modis.gsfc.n
…
Indochina2.AMOA2003077
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-03-18 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Indochina2.AMOA2003077 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
On April 8, 2003, the modis.
…
SEAsia1.TMOA2003098
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-04-08 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
SEAsia1.TMOA2003098 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Biomass burning in Southeast
…
Indochina2.AMOA2003031
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-01-31 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
Indochina2.AMOA2003031 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Fires were burning in a vari
…
SoutheastAsia.AMOA2004356
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-12-21 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
SoutheastAsia.AMOA2004356 |
|
Typhoon Xangsane Floods Viet
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Typhoon Xangsane slammed int
…
HoiAn_AMO_2006276
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2006-10-03 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
HoiAn_AMO_2006276 |
|
Fires in Southeast Asia: Nat
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Wildfires and agricultural f
…
EAsia_TMP2003056
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2003-02-25 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
EAsia_TMP2003056 |
|
|
