Fires in Northern Territory, Australia

Fires in Northern Territory, Australia

Large fires burned throughout Australia’s Northern Territory on September 30, 2011, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this image. The fires are marked in red. Fire fighters were monitoring 21 fires,

Dust over the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Dust over the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Dust from the Arabian Peninsula lingered over the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea on September 29, 2011. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite took this picture the same day.Dust plumes nearly surround the

4 million affected in India floods

4 million affected in India floods

In September 2011, two episodes of heavy rain in a 15-day period inundated the Indian state of Orissa. On September 27, 2011, the Hindustan Times reported that the second period of heavy rainfall had claimed 27 lives.The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MO

Amazing timelapse video from the Space Station

Amazing timelapse video from the Space Station

Science educator James Drake built this amazing timelapse video from the perspective of the International Space Station as it flew over North and South America. He created this video by downloading a series of 600 photographs that were available online at the Gateway

First satellite ocean salt measurements

First satellite ocean salt measurements

NASA’s Aquarius instrument has successfully completed its commissioning phase and is now “tasting” the saltiness of Earth’s ocean surface, making measurements from its perch in near-polar orbit.Scientists from around the world are ready and waiting to study this

Dust over the Mediterranean Sea

Dust over the Mediterranean Sea

Thick dust hovered over the Mediterranean Sea in early September 2011. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this natural-color image on September 2, 2011.Spanning hundreds of kilometers, the dust is nearly

Newly discovered Icelandic current could change climate picture

Newly discovered Icelandic current could change climate picture

Scientists discovered new ocean current called the North Icelandic Jet (NIJ) far below the sea's surface near Iceland. It could significantly influence the ocean's response to climate change. The NIJ contributes to a key component of the Atlantic Meridional…

Atlantic heat source for Hurricane Irene

Atlantic heat source for Hurricane Irene

As Hurricane Irene rumbles through the Atlantic Ocean, it needs fuel to sustain itself. Warm water is the main fuel, and there is plenty of it right now, as there usually is this time of year. The map above shows sea surface temperatures (SST) in the Atlantic…

Dust and pollution rise before the monsoon

Dust and pollution rise before the monsoon

In the days and weeks before the monsoon, heat builds over India. Hot air rises over the baked earth and westerly winds rush in to fill the void, bringing dust-laden air from the deserts of southwest Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. Through April, May, and June, as

Irene spinning over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico seen with MODIS

Irene spinning over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico seen with MODIS

On August 22, 2011, Irene, the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, was spinning over the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, lashing the islands with wind and rain. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite