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MLS water vapor
This image shows differences …
1/27/98
Date 1/27/98
Description This image shows differences in atmospheric water vapor relative to a normal (average) year in the Earth's upper troposphere about 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the surface. The measurements were taken by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument aboard NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). These data, collected in late December 1997, show higher than normal levels of water vapor (red) over the central and eastern Pacific which indicate the presence of an El Nino condition. At the same time, the western Pacific (blue) is much drier than normal. The unusually moist air above the central and eastern Pacific is a consequence of the much warmer than normal ocean waters which occur during El Nino. Warmer water evaporates at a higher rate and the resulting warm moist air rises and forms tall cloud towers. In the tropics, the warm water and the resulting tall cloud towers typically produce large amounts of rain. These data show significant increases in the amount of atmospheric moisture off the coast of Peru and Ecuador since measurements were made in November 1997. The maximum water temperature in the eastern tropical Pacific, as measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is still higher than normal and these high ocean temperatures are likely responsible for an increase in evaporation and the subsequent rise in humidity.
Galapagos L-band, HH
This is an image showing par …
4/15/94
Date 4/15/94
Description This is an image showing part of Isla Isabella in the western Galapagos Islands. It was taken by the L-band radar in HH polarization from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar on the 40th orbit of the space shuttle Endeavour. The image is centered at about 0.5 degree south latitude and 91 degrees west longitude and covers an area of 75 by 60 kilometers (47 by 37 miles). The radar incidence angle at the center of the image is about 20 degrees. The western Galapagos Islands, which lie about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) west of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific, have six active volcanoes similar to the volcanoes found in Hawaii. Since the time of Charles Darwin's visit to the area in 1835, there have been over 60 recorded eruptions on these volcanoes. This SIR-C/X-SAR image of Alcedo and Sierra Negra volcanoes shows the rougher lava flows as bright features, while ash deposits and smooth pahoehoe lava flows appear dark. A small portion of Isla Fernandina is visible in the extreme upper left corner of the image. The Galapagos Islands are one of the SIR-C/X-SAR supersites and data of this area will be taken several times during the flight to allow scientists to conduct topographic change studies and to search for different lava flow types, ash deposits and fault lines. ----- Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). #####
Isabela 1, 3-D
This is a three-dimensional …
4/15/94
Date 4/15/94
Description This is a three-dimensional view of Isabela, one of the Galapagos Islands located off the western coast of Ecuador, South America. This view was constructed by overlaying a Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) image on a digital elevation map produced by TOPSAR, a prototype airborne interferometric radar which produces simultaneous image and elevation data. The vertical scale in this image is exaggerated by a factor of 1.87. The SIR-C/X-SAR image was taken on the 40th orbit of space shuttle Endeavour. The image is centered at about 0.5 degree south latitude and 91 degrees west longitude and covers an area of 75 by 60 kilometers (47 by 37 miles). The radar incidence angle at the center of the image is about 20 degrees. The western Galapagos Islands, which lie about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) west of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific, have six active volcanoes similar to the volcanoes found in Hawaii and reflect the volcanic processes that occur where the ocean floor is created. Since the time of Charles Darwin's visit to the area in 1835, there have been more than 60 recorded eruptions on these volcanoes. This SIR-C/X-SAR image of Alcedo and Sierra Negra volcanoes shows the rougher lava flows as bright features, while ash deposits and smooth pahoehoe lava flows appear dark. Vertical exaggeration of relief is a common tool scientists use to detect relationships between structure (for example, faults, and fractures) and topography. ----- Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). #####
Volcano/Columbia
This is a radar image of a l …
7/28/94
Date 7/28/94
Description This is a radar image of a little known volcano in northern Colombia. The image was acquired on orbit 80 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994, by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X- SAR). The volcano near the center of the image is located at 5.6 degrees north latitude, 75.0 degrees west longitude, about 100 kilometers (65 miles) southeast of Medellin, Colombia. The conspicuous dark spot is a lake at the bottom of an approximately 3-kilometer-wide (1.9-mile) volcanic collapse depression or caldera. A cone-shaped peak on the bottom left (northeast rim) of the caldera appears to have been the source for a flow of material into the caldera. This is the northern-most known volcano in South America and because of its youthful appearance, should be considered dormant rather than extinct. The volcano's existence confirms a fracture zone proposed in 1985 as the northern boundary of volcanism in the Andes. The SIR-C/X-SAR image reveals another, older caldera further south in Colombia, along another proposed fracture zone. Although relatively conspicuous, these volcanoes have escaped widespread recognition because of frequent cloud cover that hinders remote sensing imaging in visible wavelengths. Four separate volcanoes in the Northern Andes nations of Colombia and Ecuador have been active during the last 10 years, killing more than 25,000 people, including scientists who were monitoring the volcanic activity. Detection and monitoring of volcanoes from space provides a safe way to investigate volcanism. The recognition of previously unknown volcanoes is important for hazard evaluations because a number of major eruptions this century have occurred at mountains that were not previously recognized as volcanoes. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.v.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations, and data processing of X-SAR. #####
Sea Surface Temperature Anom …
Title Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly, 2005 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the surface of the world's oceans provides a clear indication of the state of the Earth's climate and weather. The sea surface temperature anomaly, or difference from the mean, can show climate indicators such as the El Nino oscillation, which manifests as a warmer-than-normal sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean west of Ecuador and Peru. This sequence shows a slight La Nina effect, or cooler-than-normal sea surface temperature in the eastern Pacific.
Completed 2005-07-11
Sea Surface Temperature Anom …
Title Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly, 2005 (WMS)
Abstract The temperature of the surface of the world's oceans provides a clear indication of the state of the Earth's climate and weather. The sea surface temperature anomaly, or difference from the mean, can show climate indicators such as the El Nino oscillation, which manifests as a warmer-than-normal sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean west of Ecuador and Peru. This sequence shows a slight La Nina effect, or cooler-than-normal sea surface temperature in the eastern Pacific.
Completed 2005-07-11
Ash from Erupting El Reventa …
Title Ash from Erupting El Reventador Blankets Quito
Description Ecuador?s El Reventador volcano, situated roughly 60 miles northeast of Quito, erupted suddenly on November 3, 2002, sending a cloud of ash 10 miles into the sky. This true-color scene was acquired by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), flying aboard the OrbView-2 satellite, within hours after the eruption began. In this scene, the volcanic plume appears grey and can easily be distinguished from the whiter clouds. Much of the ash has settled onto Ecuador?s capital city and the surrounding countryside, prompting Ecuador?s president to declare a state of emergency for the 1.4 million inhabitants of the region. Scientists were surprised by the eruption, which spewed ash and gases into the sky throughout the day of November 3. Hot ash, gases, and burning rocks also rained down the flanks of the volcano. By the morning of November 4, El Reventador?s ongoing eruption had subsided somewhat. However, geologists urged residents of Quito to remain cautious because the volcano could erupt again. Scientists and local officials are also concerned that the eruption could create a humanitarian crisis for the region, both in that the ash is polluting the local water supply as well as potentially poisoning livestock grazing on soot-covered vegetation in the region. Image courtesy the SeaWiFS Project, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/redirect?http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html ] NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE
Fernadina Volcano, Galapagos …
Title Fernadina Volcano, Galapagos Islands
Description On the westernmost island in the Galapagos Islands lies the volcanic chain?s most active volcano: Fernandina. Located on a remote, uninhabited island in the Galapagos National Park, the volcano?s eruptions often go unobserved, but on May 13, 2005, the volcano?s eruption was unmistakable. A short time after the volcano started to erupt, the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) flying on the OrbView-2 satellite captured this image. A thick cloud of ash and steam rises from the volcano and fans out to the west. A smaller, slightly darker plume is blowing south from the island. This darker plume may be more ash-rich than the larger plume, or it may be smoke from fires ignited by lava flows. The Instituto Geofisico of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional of Ecuador reports that ash rose to a height of seven kilometers from a fissure on the west side of the volcano. Volcanic material has fallen on the neighboring Isabela Island. The volcano?s last eruption was in 1995. SeaWiFS images courtesy the Ocean Color Group [ http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE [ http://www.orbimage.com/ ]. NOTE: All SeaWiFS images and data are for research and educational use only. All commercial use of SeaWiFS data must be coordinated with ORBIMAGE.
Fernadina Volcano, Galapagos …
Title Fernadina Volcano, Galapagos Islands
Description On the westernmost island in the Galapagos Islands lies the volcanic chain?s most active volcano: Fernandina. Located on a remote, uninhabited island in the Galapagos National Park, the volcano?s eruptions often go unobserved, but on May 13, 2005, the volcano?s eruption was unmistakable. A short time after the volcano started to erupt, the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) flying on the OrbView-2 satellite captured this image. A thick cloud of ash and steam rises from the volcano and fans out to the west. A smaller, slightly darker plume is blowing south from the island. This darker plume may be more ash-rich than the larger plume, or it may be smoke from fires ignited by lava flows. The Instituto Geofisico of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional of Ecuador reports that ash rose to a height of seven kilometers from a fissure on the west side of the volcano. Volcanic material has fallen on the neighboring Isabela Island. The volcano?s last eruption was in 1995. SeaWiFS images courtesy the Ocean Color Group [ http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE [ http://www.orbimage.com/ ]. NOTE: All SeaWiFS images and data are for research and educational use only. All commercial use of SeaWiFS data must be coordinated with ORBIMAGE.
Shrimp Farming in Ecuador
Title Shrimp Farming in Ecuador
Description Like fields of blue, rectangular shrimp farms line the coast of Ecuador south of the city of Guayaquil in these images. Worldwide, wetlands and coastal mangrove forests have been converted to shrimp ponds in order to farm these crustaceans for food and sale. In Ecuador, the industry started in the late 1960s and rapidly grew. By 1999, 175,255 hectares of land had been converted to shrimp farms. That year, Ecuador was the fourth largest shrimp producer in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. In Ecuador, as elsewhere, shrimp farms are typically built along the shore where salt water is easily accessible. Though Ecuador's mangrove forests declined as shrimp farming and other coastal development occurred, salt flats or salt marshes on slightly higher ground have also been converted, as illustrated in these images. The lower image was taken by the Landsat satellite on April 29, 1991. Shrimp farms cover much of the land shown in the image, but a broad swath of tan-gray salt flat still lines the inlet. By March 6, 2006, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite took the top image, the salt flat had almost entirely been converted to shrimp farms. A small canal connects the network of shrimp tanks to the inlet, providing a fresh source of water. The large images provide a broader perspective on the extent of the development. In the 1991 Landsat image, 143 square kilometers of land had been converted to shrimp ponds. In the 2006 ASTER image, shrimp farms cover 243 square kilometers. Roughly 83 percent of the region's wetlands and salt flats were eliminated by shrimp farms. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory. ASTER data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Landsat data obtained from the University of Maryland's Global Land Cover Facility. [ http://www.landcover.org/ ]
Shrimp Farming in Ecuador
Title Shrimp Farming in Ecuador
Description Like fields of blue, rectangular shrimp farms line the coast of Ecuador south of the city of Guayaquil in these images. Worldwide, wetlands and coastal mangrove forests have been converted to shrimp ponds in order to farm these crustaceans for food and sale. In Ecuador, the industry started in the late 1960s and rapidly grew. By 1999, 175,255 hectares of land had been converted to shrimp farms. That year, Ecuador was the fourth largest shrimp producer in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. In Ecuador, as elsewhere, shrimp farms are typically built along the shore where salt water is easily accessible. Though Ecuador's mangrove forests declined as shrimp farming and other coastal development occurred, salt flats or salt marshes on slightly higher ground have also been converted, as illustrated in these images. The lower image was taken by the Landsat satellite on April 29, 1991. Shrimp farms cover much of the land shown in the image, but a broad swath of tan-gray salt flat still lines the inlet. By March 6, 2006, when the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]) satellite took the top image, the salt flat had almost entirely been converted to shrimp farms. A small canal connects the network of shrimp tanks to the inlet, providing a fresh source of water. The large images provide a broader perspective on the extent of the development. In the 1991 Landsat image, 143 square kilometers of land had been converted to shrimp ponds. In the 2006 ASTER image, shrimp farms cover 243 square kilometers. Roughly 83 percent of the region's wetlands and salt flats were eliminated by shrimp farms. NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory. ASTER data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] Landsat data obtained from the University of Maryland's Global Land Cover Facility. [ http://www.landcover.org/ ]
Flooding in Northern Peru
Title Flooding in Northern Peru
Description Northern Peru's rainy season was coming to an end when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of the region surrounding the Bay of Sechura. The barren land, pink-tinted tan in January, the middle of the rainy season, was covered with patches of blue water on April 30, 2006. The rainfall also brought a faint brush of green to the desert, with brighter patches of green in irrigated areas along the top and bottom of the image. Clouds are pale blue and white. Though Peru escaped major flood-related damage, both Ecuador and Colombia, immediately north of the region shown here, suffered as floods damaged crops, isolated houses, and triggered landslides, reported the Dartmouth Flood Observatory [ http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7efloods/Archives/2006sum.htm ]. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]
Flooding in Northern Peru
Title Flooding in Northern Peru
Description Northern Peru's rainy season was coming to an end when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of the region surrounding the Bay of Sechura. The barren land, pink-tinted tan in January, the middle of the rainy season, was covered with patches of blue water on April 30, 2006. The rainfall also brought a faint brush of green to the desert, with brighter patches of green in irrigated areas along the top and bottom of the image. Clouds are pale blue and white. Though Peru escaped major flood-related damage, both Ecuador and Colombia, immediately north of the region shown here, suffered as floods damaged crops, isolated houses, and triggered landslides, reported the Dartmouth Flood Observatory [ http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7efloods/Archives/2006sum.htm ]. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]
Tungurahua Volcano Erupts in …
Title Tungurahua Volcano Erupts in Ecuador
Description Rising to an altitude of 16,475 feet (5,023 meters), the Tungurahua Volcano towers over the surrounding terrain in central Ecuador. From this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from the Terra satellite, it?s easy to see why this volcano (center) is also called the ?Black Giant??its flanks are coated with dark lava flows. In this scene, captured on January 14, 2004, a plume of ash is rising from the volcano and is stretching northeastward across the Andes and the lower elevations to the east. According to reports from the Smithsonian?s Global Volcanism Program, Tungurahua began erupting with plumes of ash, steam, and smoke at the end of December 2003 and has continued into the third week of January 2004. The high-resolution image captured a wider area. Some of the haze visible amid the clouds to the south of Tungurahua may be the remains of smoke and ash plumes from Ecuador?s larger Sangay Volcano, which was also reported to be erupting with small ash plumes during this period. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador emitted a volcanic plume of ash and/or steam on June 24, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the volcanic plume appears in a shade of pale gray, slightly darker than the nearby clouds that are bright white. The plume blows westward toward the neighboring dormant volcano Chimborazo [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17121 ], which sports a snowcap at its summit. Nearby settlements include Rio Bamba and Ambato. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture on July 17, 2006, Tungurahua Volcano was ejecting gas and ash for the fourth consecutive day. This burst of activity proved to be the volcano's most powerful since 1999, according to Reuters. Besides volcanic ash and gas, the volcano produced molten rock that set fire to local vegetation. By July 18, the volcano's activity had blocked roads, ruined bridges, covered nearby villages in ash, killed livestock, and prompted evacuations. Despite fears for their own safety, however, some villagers returned home to salvage some of their property. The BBC provided photos [ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5184258.stm ] of the event on July 16, 2006. These images show Tungurahua and its neighbor, Chimborazo [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17121 ]. The top image shows part of the bottom image in greater detail. A gray-brown plume of volcanic ash and/or steam emanates from Tungurahua, mingling with nearby white clouds. The volcanic plume appears to spread out in all directions near the summit then blow generally westward toward Chimborazo. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ]
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description The Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador had been acting up for more than a month when it erupted ferociously in mid-August 2006. According to the Associated Press, the volcano destroyed 10 villages, and buried the homes of roughly 5,000 people—as well as the pasture for their livestock—under tons of ash. Several days after the eruption, authorities began rebuilding homes for displaced locals who needed food for themselves and their animals, along with shelter from the elements. Besides inundating the locals, Tungurahua Volcano spewed volcanic ash into the atmosphere. 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 measured the aerosols in the region on August 17, 2006, the day after the volcano's fierce eruption. This image shows an ash cloud superimposed on a map of the region. A plus sign marks the volcano summit, and the volcanic ash appears in two distinct plumes: a larger one west of the summit, and a smaller one to the east. This aerosol distribution vaguely matches the volcanic material shown in the MODIS image [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13791 ] from the same day. In this image, dark reddish-brown indicates the thickest ash, while tan indicates relatively thin ash. Images courtesy Colin Seftor, Aura Science Team.
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description Dozens of people were missing, hundreds of families were evacuated, and three villages were gone in the wake of an eruption of the Tungurahua Volcano in mid-August 2006. A month earlier, the volcano affected [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13716 ] nearby residents and agriculture, but this eruption was worse. According to news reports, a serious eruption began on August 16, 2006, sending a column of volcanic ash 8 kilometers (5 miles) into the sky and raining lava and hot rocks on the surrounding area. Nothing remained of the villages of Chilibu, Choglontuz, and Palitagua, and the flow of lava and molten rock blocked the Patate, Puela, and Chambo Rivers. As of August 18, at least five people had died, and more casualties were expected. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took a picture of the region on August 17, 2006. It appears at top, and a Blue Marble [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ ] image of the area from August 2004 appears at bottom, for comparison. The Blue Marble image is a composite of images collected over a month. In cloudy regions, monthly composites are necessary to compile cloud-free images. Clouds filled the sky a day after the Tungurahua eruption, but damage was still apparent. The dark brown smudges likely result from volcanic ash from the volcano. One smudge, over 100 kilometers in length, appears in the west, mixed with clouds. A less discernible smudge appears in the east, where relatively clearer skies allow some of the dark land surface to show through. One of Ecuador's most active volcanoes, Tungurahua [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-08= ] has a long history of building up edifices and later collapsing them with spectacular eruptions. Although the slopes of a volcano can be a dangerous place to live, many people take the risk [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/NatHazards/ ] because of the rich soils and the fairly mild temperatures that come with high altitude. This tradeoff placed thousands in harm's way when Tungurahua erupted in the summer of 2006. Marked in the bottom image, Tungurahua's neighbor, Chimborazo, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17121 ] is a dormant volcano that beckons many modern mountaineers. Also marked is Ecuador's capital city of Quito. NASA images created by Jesse Allen and Reto Stöckli, Earth Observatory. August 17, 2006 imagery created from data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. Blue Marble: Next Generation data provided courtesy of Earth Observatory. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ ]
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description Dozens of people were missing, hundreds of families were evacuated, and three villages were gone in the wake of an eruption of the Tungurahua Volcano in mid-August 2006. A month earlier, the volcano affected [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13716 ] nearby residents and agriculture, but this eruption was worse. According to news reports, a serious eruption began on August 16, 2006, sending a column of volcanic ash 8 kilometers (5 miles) into the sky and raining lava and hot rocks on the surrounding area. Nothing remained of the villages of Chilibu, Choglontuz, and Palitagua, and the flow of lava and molten rock blocked the Patate, Puela, and Chambo Rivers. As of August 18, at least five people had died, and more casualties were expected. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took a picture of the region on August 17, 2006. It appears at top, and a Blue Marble [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ ] image of the area from August 2004 appears at bottom, for comparison. The Blue Marble image is a composite of images collected over a month. In cloudy regions, monthly composites are necessary to compile cloud-free images. Clouds filled the sky a day after the Tungurahua eruption, but damage was still apparent. The dark brown smudges likely result from volcanic ash from the volcano. One smudge, over 100 kilometers in length, appears in the west, mixed with clouds. A less discernible smudge appears in the east, where relatively clearer skies allow some of the dark land surface to show through. One of Ecuador's most active volcanoes, Tungurahua [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-08= ] has a long history of building up edifices and later collapsing them with spectacular eruptions. Although the slopes of a volcano can be a dangerous place to live, many people take the risk [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/NatHazards/ ] because of the rich soils and the fairly mild temperatures that come with high altitude. This tradeoff placed thousands in harm's way when Tungurahua erupted in the summer of 2006. Marked in the bottom image, Tungurahua's neighbor, Chimborazo, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17121 ] is a dormant volcano that beckons many modern mountaineers. Also marked is Ecuador's capital city of Quito. NASA images created by Jesse Allen and Reto Stöckli, Earth Observatory. August 17, 2006 imagery created from data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. Blue Marble: Next Generation data provided courtesy of Earth Observatory. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ ]
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description The Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador emitted a plume of volcanic ash in late October 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured this image on October 25, 2006. Several days earlier, an eruption of lava and ash forced the evacuation of some 300 local villagers, according to news reports. In this image, a plume of volcanic ash blows westward from the volcano's summit, fanning out as it goes. The plume is fairly dark, suggesting that its contents are fairly high in ash, as opposed to a white plume, which would have more water. One of Ecuador's most active volcanoes, Tungurahua [ http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-08= ] is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of hardened lava, ash, and rock. It underwent a major eruption from 1916 to 1918. Another major eruption in 1995 forced the temporary evacuation of a nearby city. An eruption in the summer of 2006 caused widespread crop damage, forced evacuations, and claimed several lives. A 250-meter-resolution KMZ file [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Oct2006/tungurahua_tmo_2006298.kmz ] of Tungurahua is available for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team.
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
Title Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador
Description The Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador underwent a severe eruption in August 2006, [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13791 ] followed by intermittent eruptive activity over the next couple months. On October 16, 2006, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) [ http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite captured this image of the volcano as it released a plume of volcanic ash. This false-color image was created by combining shortwave infrared, near-infrared, and green wavelengths of light observed by ASTER. The image clearly shows not only current volcanic activity, but also the results of earlier eruptions. Deep purple rivulets of rock carve through the bright green vegetation. The rock results from previous lava flows that later solidified. Similar in color to the hardened lava are geometric patches of bare ground on the volcano's slopes, some of the numerous settlements in the area. The Chambo River makes a bright blue ribbon along the western edge of the volcano. Pyroclastic flows of rocks, ash, and other volcanic materials temporarily dammed the Chambo River in August 2006, and the purple remains of earlier eruptions cross this river in the west and the north. At the volcano's summit is a glowing red dot, indicating an area of intense heat. The ash cloud in this image appears bright purple, in contrast with the white clouds to the northwest. Image courtesy of Nick Smith and Matt Patrick, Michigan Tech University, and Patricia Mothes, Instituto Geofísico, Escuela Politécnica Nacional.
Tungurahua Erupts
Title Tungurahua Erupts
Explanation Volcano Tungurahua erupted spectacularly last year. Pictured above [ http://patricktaschler.com/portfolio/ecuador-tungurahua.html ], molten rock so hot it glows visibly pours down the sides of the 5,000-meter high Tungurahua [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungurahua ], while a cloud of dark ash [ http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash/ ] is seen being ejected toward the left. Wispy white clouds flow around the lava-lit peak [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051002.html ], while a star-lit sky shines in the distance. The above image was captured last year [ http://www.summitpost.org/image/333708/327989/the-black-giant.html ] as ash fell around the adventurous photographer. Located in Ecuador [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecuador ], Tungurahua has become active roughly every 90 years since for the last 1,300 years. Volcano Tungurahua [ http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/south_america/ecuador/tungurahua.html ] has started erupting again this year and continues erupting at a lower level even today. APOD editor to review best space pictures in Philadelphia next Wednesday [ http://www.rittenhouseastronomicalsociety.org/ ]
A Fleeting Eclipse
Title A Fleeting Eclipse
Explanation A lunar eclipse [ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/LunarEclipse.html ] can be viewed in a leisurely fashion. Visible to anyone [ http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/ question6.html ] on the night side of planet Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960819.html ] (weather permitting), totality often lasts an hour or so as the moon glides through the Earth's shadow. But a solar eclipse [ http://www.MrEclipse.com/Special/SEprimer.html ] is more fleeting. Totality can last a few minutes [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010706.html ] only for those fortunate enough to stand in the path of the Moon's shadow [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990830.html ] as it races across the Earth's surface. For the April 29, 1995 annular solar eclipse, photographer Olivier Staiger [ http://eclipse.span.ch/ ] was standing in Macara, Ecuador under partially cloudy skies. Just before the maximum annular eclipse phase he recorded this dramatic moment as a bird flew near the sun. The next solar eclipse, on June 10 [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/ASE2002/ASE2002.html ], will also be an annular one. Partial phases will be visible from [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/ASE2002/ ASE2002.html#live ] eastern Asia, the Pacific Ocean [ http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/ASE2002/ASE2002gif/ SE2002Jun10A-2.GIF ] and much of North America. Very accurate predictions of eclipses [ http://www.earthview.com/ages/mystified.htm ] have long been possible.
A Fleeting Eclipse
Title A Fleeting Eclipse
Explanation A lunar eclipse can be viewed [ http://www.skypub.com/eclipses/m960403a.html ] in a leisurely fashion. Visible to anyone [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960403.html ] on the night side of planet Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960819.html ] (weather permitting), totality often lasts an hour or so as the moon glides through the Earth's shadow. But a solar eclipse [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951024.html ] is more fleeting. Totality can last a few minutes only for those fortunate enough to stand in the path of the Moon's shadow as it races across the Earth's surface. For the April 29, 1995 annular solar eclipse, photographer Olivier Staiger [ http://eclipse.span.ch/ ] was standing in Macara, Ecuador under partially cloudy skies. Just before the maximum annular eclipse [ http://eclipse.span.ch/annul.htm ] phase he recorded this dramatic moment [ http://eclipse.span.ch/eclipse.htm ] as a bird flew near the sun. Very accurate predictions of eclipses [ http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html ] have long been possible [ http://www.earthview.com/ages/mystified.htm ]. The next solar eclipse will occur on September 2 [ http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SElook/P97look.html ] and be visible from [ http://eclipse.span.ch/sept2.htm ] Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. The next lunar eclipse on September 16 [ http://planets.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/OH97.html#LE1997sep ] will be visible from [ http://www-clients.spirit.net.au/~minnah/Live.html ] the Eastern Hemisphere.
Eruption of Tungurahua: Imag …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Dozens of people were missin …
tungurahua_tmo_2006229
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-08-17
creator NASA -- NASA images created by Jesse Allen and Reto Stöckli, Earth Observatory. August 17, 2006 imagery created from data provided courtesy of the rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Rapid Response team. Blue Marble: Next Generation data provided courtesy of earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ Earth Observatory.
identifier tungurahua_tmo_2006229
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
The Tungurahua Volcano in Ec …
ge_16901
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identifier ge_16901
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
The Tungurahua Volcano in Ec …
ge_16901
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identifier ge_16901
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
tungurahua_tmo_2006175
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-06-24
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier tungurahua_tmo_2006175
Tungurahua Volcano Erupts in …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Rising to an altitude of 16, …
Tungurahua.TMOA2004014
mediatype IMAGE
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creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier Tungurahua.TMOA2004014
Heavy Rain Floods South Amer …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
* eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/ima …
peru_tmo_2008092
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2008-04-01
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier peru_tmo_2008092
Another Kelvin Wave Strenght …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
In the Pacific Ocean around …
ssh_jas_2006324
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-11-20
creator NASA -- NASA/JPL Ocean Surface Topography Team.
identifier ssh_jas_2006324
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
The Tungurahua Volcano in Ec …
tungurahua_omi_2006229
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-08-17
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier tungurahua_omi_2006229
Historic Tropical Cyclone Tr …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Like streamers of splattered …
tropical_cyclone_map
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006
creator NASA -- www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Tropical_Storm_Map_png Image by Robert A. Rohde, www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/ Global Warming Art.
identifier tropical_cyclone_map
Galapagos Islands: Image of …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
This true-color image of the …
Galapagos.A2002071.1625
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2002-03-12
creator NASA -- Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ MODIS Land Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC
identifier Galapagos.A2002071.1625
Shrimp Farming in Ecuador: I …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
Like fields of blue, rectang …
ecuador_ast_2006065
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-03-06
creator NASA -- NASA images created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory. ASTER data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ASTER Science Team. Landsat data obtained from the University of Maryland's www.landcover.org/ Global Land Cover Facility.
identifier ecuador_ast_2006065
Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador : …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
On February 19, 2000, Space …
cotopaxi_dem
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2000-02-19
creator NASA -- Image courtesy www.dfd.dlr.de/srtm/mission/mission_en.htm German Remote Sensing Data Center
identifier cotopaxi_dem
Steinhatchee Fire, Florida : …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
The Steinhatchee fire in nor …
modis_goes_fire
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2001-05-24
creator NASA -- MODIS image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, modland.nascom.nasa.gov/'' target=''outlink MODIS Land Rapid Response Team. GOES animation by Robert Simmon, based on data from the rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/ GOES project science office.
identifier modis_goes_fire
Steinhatchee Fire, Florida : …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
The Steinhatchee fire in nor …
modis_goes_fire
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2001-05-24
creator NASA -- MODIS image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, modland.nascom.nasa.gov/'' target=''outlink MODIS Land Rapid Response Team. GOES animation by Robert Simmon, based on data from the rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/ GOES project science office.
identifier modis_goes_fire
Flooding in Northern Peru: N …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
* eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/ima …
peru_amo_2006120
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-04-30
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier peru_amo_2006120
Chimborazo and Tungurahua, E …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
In 1802, Mount Chimborazo wa …
chimborazo_etm_plus_2001259
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2001-09-16
creator NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, based on data provided by the landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Landsat 7 science team and the University of Maryland's glcf.umiacs.umd.edu/index.shtml Global Land Cover Facility.
identifier chimborazo_etm_plus_2001259
Mount St. Helens Rebirth : I …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
The catastrophic eruption of …
mt_st_helens
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 1999-08-22
creator NASA -- Data courtesy Landsat 7 project and EROS Data Center. Caption by James Foster, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
identifier mt_st_helens
Fernadina Volcano, Galapagos …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
On the westernmost island in …
Fernandina2_SWFS_2005133
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2005-05-13
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier Fernandina2_SWFS_2005133
Fernadina Volcano, Galapagos …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
On the westernmost island in …
Fernandina2_SWFS_2005133
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2005-05-13
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier Fernandina2_SWFS_2005133
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
The Tungurahua Volcano in Ec …
tungurahua_tmo_2006298
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-10-25
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier tungurahua_tmo_2006298
Isla Fernandina, Galapagos: …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
A fringe of brilliant green …
galapagos_ast_2003
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2004
creator NASA -- Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ASTER Science Team
identifier galapagos_ast_2003
Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuado …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
When the Moderate Resolution …
tungurahua_tmo_2006198
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-07-17
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier tungurahua_tmo_2006198
Heavy Rain Floods South Amer …
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Persistent, heavier-than-nor …
SAmerica_TRM_2008064
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2008-03-04
creator NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day
identifier SAmerica_TRM_2008064
Changes to the Saemangeum Es …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
/saemref.asp Saemangeum and …
ge_07688
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-10-07
creator NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ASTER Science Team.
identifier ge_07688
Changes to the Saemangeum Es …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
/saemref.asp Saemangeum and …
ge_07688
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-10-07
creator NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ASTER Science Team.
identifier ge_07688
Changes to the Saemangeum Es …
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle …
/saemref.asp Saemangeum and …
ge_07688
mediatype IMAGE
mediatype image
date 2006-10-07
creator NASA -- NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the NASA/GSFC/MITI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ASTER Science Team.
identifier ge_07688
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