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Cyclone Ivy
| Title |
Cyclone Ivy |
| Description |
Ivy first formed into a tropical storm at 18Z on the 22nd of February 2004 midway between Fiji to the east and Vanuatu to the west. The storm moved northwest for a day and gained strength becoming a minimal Category 1 cyclone at 18Z on the 23rd. Ivy then recurved toward the southwest on the 24th and continued to intensify threatening the Vanuatu islands. By 06Z on the 25th Ivy was bearing down on the island of Malakula in central Vanuatu with maximum sustained winds estimated near 90 knots (104 mph) by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite captured these unique images of Cyclone Ivy as it approached Vanuatu. The top image was taken at 05:48 UTC on 24 February 2004. It shows the horizontal distribution of rain rates observed by the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) in the center swath and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) in the outer swath. The rain rates are overlaid on infrared (IR) data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner (VIRS). At this time, Ivy was estimated to have sustained winds of 70 knots (83 mph). TRMM shows that Ivy is still in the process of organizing with no clear eye present yet. However, a substantial area of intense rainfall (darker reds) is detected near the center of the circulation. As hurricanes depend on the heat released from the condensation of water vapor to fuel their circulation, the presence of these rainrates near the center of the storm where they are the most effective, indicates the potential for further strengthening. The bottom image shows Ivy almost a day and half later at 14:33 UTC on the 25th just before hitting the island of Malakula. The winds are now up to 90 knots (104 mph), and TRMM shows that Ivy now has a well-developed, symmetrical eye that is associated with mature tropical cyclones. The eye is surrounded by mainly moderate rainrates (green areas) with the most intense rainrates (dark reds) present in rainbands off to the east. TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japanese space agency JAXA. Images produced by Hal Pierce (SSAI/NASA GSFC) and caption by Steve Lang (SSAI/NASA GSFC). |
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Sulfur Dioxide Leaks from th
…
| Title |
Sulfur Dioxide Leaks from the Ambrym Volcano |
| Description |
) Scientists building computer models of the complicated interactions that make up Earth?s climate need to understand how much sulfur dioxide enters the atmosphere and where it travels. Since most volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions come from passive degassing, OMI will allow scientists to assess the volcanic contribution to atmospheric sulfur dioxide concentrations with unprecedented accuracy. The data should help refine climate models. NASA image and caption information courtesy Simon Carn, Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology [ http://www.jcet.umbc.edu/ ] (JCET), University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). The OMI was added to the Aura satellite as part of a collaboration between the Netherlands? Agency for Aerospace Programs, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and NASA., Sandwiched between Fiji and Australia in the South Pacific, the island nation of Vanuatu hosted the strongest point source of sulfur dioxide on the planet for the first months of 2005. Ambrym Volcano, on the island of the same name, has been steadily emitting sulfur dioxide for at least six months, and this image, produced using data collected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA?s Aura [ http://aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite during the first ten days of March 2005, shows high concentrations of sulfur dioxide drifting northwest from the volcano. Ambrym Volcano is not erupting in the traditional sense with thick ash plumes and explosive bursts of lava, rather it is leaking sulfur dioxide gas from active lava lakes in what scientists call ?passive? or ?non-eruptive? emissions. Despite these gentle names, the leaking volcano still poses a tremendous hazard to the local population. The gas has a strong smell and can irritate the eyes and nose and make breathing difficult. Higher in the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide combines with water to create rain laced with sulfuric acid. On Ambrym, acid rain has destroyed staple crops and contaminated the water supply, leaving the communities in need of food aid. Satellites have only been able to monitor sulfur dioxide emissions from large eruptions or the most powerful passive degassing in the past. All other sulfur dioxide emissions remain at low altitudes and have low concentrations, making them hard to see from space. On July 15, 2004, NASA launched its Aura satellite carrying the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). With greater spatial resolution (the ability to ?zoom-in? to see greater detail) and higher sensitivity to sulfur dioxide than any previous space-borne sensor, OMI is allowing scientists to study passive volcanic degassing on a daily basis for the first time. The above image is an example of the instrument?s preliminary, uncalibrated, and unvalidated data. This new view of passive volcanic emissions could lead to significant advances in understanding both volcanic eruptions and the impact of sulfur dioxide on climate. Passive emissions can be a precursor to explosive eruptions, and thus provide a warning signal that the volcano?s activity may be changing. Once in the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide creates a bright haze that reflects sunlight back into space. Since less sunlight reaches the Earth, the sulfur dioxide haze has a cooling effect on the climate. (See ?Every Cloud Has a Filthy Lining? [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ShipTracks/ship_tracks.html ] |
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Sulfur Dioxide Leaks from th
…
| Title |
Sulfur Dioxide Leaks from the Ambrym Volcano |
| Description |
) Scientists building computer models of the complicated interactions that make up Earth?s climate need to understand how much sulfur dioxide enters the atmosphere and where it travels. Since most volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions come from passive degassing, OMI will allow scientists to assess the volcanic contribution to atmospheric sulfur dioxide concentrations with unprecedented accuracy. The data should help refine climate models. NASA image and caption information courtesy Simon Carn, Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology [ http://www.jcet.umbc.edu/ ] (JCET), University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). The OMI was added to the Aura satellite as part of a collaboration between the Netherlands? Agency for Aerospace Programs, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and NASA., Sandwiched between Fiji and Australia in the South Pacific, the island nation of Vanuatu hosted the strongest point source of sulfur dioxide on the planet for the first months of 2005. Ambrym Volcano, on the island of the same name, has been steadily emitting sulfur dioxide for at least six months, and this image, produced using data collected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA?s Aura [ http://aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] satellite during the first ten days of March 2005, shows high concentrations of sulfur dioxide drifting northwest from the volcano. Ambrym Volcano is not erupting in the traditional sense with thick ash plumes and explosive bursts of lava, rather it is leaking sulfur dioxide gas from active lava lakes in what scientists call ?passive? or ?non-eruptive? emissions. Despite these gentle names, the leaking volcano still poses a tremendous hazard to the local population. The gas has a strong smell and can irritate the eyes and nose and make breathing difficult. Higher in the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide combines with water to create rain laced with sulfuric acid. On Ambrym, acid rain has destroyed staple crops and contaminated the water supply, leaving the communities in need of food aid. Satellites have only been able to monitor sulfur dioxide emissions from large eruptions or the most powerful passive degassing in the past. All other sulfur dioxide emissions remain at low altitudes and have low concentrations, making them hard to see from space. On July 15, 2004, NASA launched its Aura satellite carrying the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). With greater spatial resolution (the ability to ?zoom-in? to see greater detail) and higher sensitivity to sulfur dioxide than any previous space-borne sensor, OMI is allowing scientists to study passive volcanic degassing on a daily basis for the first time. The above image is an example of the instrument?s preliminary, uncalibrated, and unvalidated data. This new view of passive volcanic emissions could lead to significant advances in understanding both volcanic eruptions and the impact of sulfur dioxide on climate. Passive emissions can be a precursor to explosive eruptions, and thus provide a warning signal that the volcano?s activity may be changing. Once in the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide creates a bright haze that reflects sunlight back into space. Since less sunlight reaches the Earth, the sulfur dioxide haze has a cooling effect on the climate. (See ?Every Cloud Has a Filthy Lining? [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ShipTracks/ship_tracks.html ] |
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Cyclone Gene: Natural Hazard
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Tropical Cyclone Gene was sl
…
gene_amo_2008035
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2008-02-04 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
gene_amo_2008035 |
|
Cyclone Gene: Natural Hazard
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Even though Cyclone Gene was
…
gene_qsc_2008035
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2008-02-04 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
gene_qsc_2008035 |
|
Sulfur Dioxide Seeps from th
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Sandwiched between Fiji and
…
Ambrym2_OMI_2005069
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-07-15 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA image and caption information courtesy Simon Carn, www.jcet.umbc.edu/ Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET), University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). The OMI was added to the Aura satellite as part of a collaboration between the Netherlands' Agency for Aerospace Programs, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and NASA. |
| identifier |
Ambrym2_OMI_2005069 |
|
Sulfur Dioxide Seeps from th
…
nasa, nasaimageofthedaygalle
…
Sandwiched between Fiji and
…
Ambrym2_OMI_2005069
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-07-15 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA image and caption information courtesy Simon Carn, www.jcet.umbc.edu/ Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET), University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). The OMI was added to the Aura satellite as part of a collaboration between the Netherlands' Agency for Aerospace Programs, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and NASA. |
| identifier |
Ambrym2_OMI_2005069 |
|
Cyclone Gene: Natural Hazard
…
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Tropical Cyclone Gene crashe
…
gene_amo_2008030
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2008-01-30 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
gene_amo_2008030 |
|
Cyclone Ivy: Natural Hazards
nasa, nasanaturalhazards
Ivy first formed into a trop
…
ivy_trmm2004055
| mediatype |
IMAGE |
| mediatype |
image |
| date |
2004-02-24 |
| creator |
NASA -- NASA Image Of The Day |
| identifier |
ivy_trmm2004055 |
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