Smoke over Rondonia, Brazil #2827


#2827 Smoke over Rondonia, Brazil by JVPD
In the Brazilian state of Rondonia, scientists have gathered to study gases and airborne particles produced in the tropics. Between September and November 2002, they are conducting integrated airborne and ground-based measurements aimed at better understanding the role these constituents play in Earth's climate. These views from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) show extensive plumes of fine particles emanating from burning vegetation within Rondonia. The data were acquired on September 15, the official start date for the Amazon burning season, and one week into the field study, which is called the Cooperative Large-scale-biosphere-atmosphere Airborne Regional Experiment, or CLAIRE. The left-hand panel is a natural-color view acquired by MISR's vertical-viewing (nadir) camera. The center image covers the same geographic area, as seen by the 70-degree forward-viewing MISR camera. The appearance of smoke and haze is enhanced in the oblique view, whereas the herringbone patterns of deforestation are more evident in the nadir image. Due to geometric parallax, clouds appear to move relative to the ground between these two images. At right is a map of aerosol optical depth, a measure of the amount of particulates in the atmosphere, derived from the MISR multi-angle views. Haze distributed across Rondonia shows up as light blue and green pixels across the region. Places where clouds or other factors precluded an aerosol retrieval are shown in dark grey. The main measurement site for the CLAIRE campaign is a field near the town of Ji-Parana, somewhat below and to the right of the MISR image centers. It is well-situated to observe the thick palls of smoke originating in dense vegetation to the south and east, at the eastern end of the Parque Nacional de Pacaas Novos. The CLAIRE aircraft will follow these plumes as they spread over the region, and will measure the changing characteristics of the smoke particles as they age. The southern edges of these images extend into Bolivia, where more fires are burning near the Brazil-Bolivia border. Clearer skies in the southeast corner of the image area are associated with higher-elevation lands along the Serra dos Parecis mountains.

Photo Credit: NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team [0003-0701-0121-2926] by 0003

Similar Images:

#8804 Picture of a Raywood Ash Tree by Jamie Voetsch
#13195 Picture of White Heart Shapes Over Planet Earth by Jamie Voetsch
#13203 Picture of Hands of Different Human Ethnicities Surrounding Planet Earth by Jamie Voetsch
#1412 Photo of a Satellite Image of Earth With Clouds by JVPD
#13198 Picture of Red Heart Shapes Over Planet Earth by Jamie Voetsch
#13206 Picture of a Black Barcode and Scan Laser Over Earth by Jamie Voetsch
#13205 Picture of a Blue Handprint Over Planet Earth by Jamie Voetsch
#21558 Stock Photography of a Meandering River Through a Green Landscape, Togiak NWR, Alaska by JVPD
#13202 Picture of a Green Barcode Over Earth by Jamie Voetsch
#1411 Photo of a Hole in the Ozone Layer Over Antarctica 10/01/1998 by JVPD
#8732 Picture of a Forest Fire Aftermath by JVPD
#1434 Global Sea Surface Temperature 7/1984 by JVPD
#2745 Salt Ponds in San Francisco Bay by JVPD
#3264 Emigrant Gap Fire by JVPD
#13201 Picture of a Green Handprint on Earth by Jamie Voetsch
More Environmental Photos

Keywords

airborne particles, brazil, environment, environmental, fire, fires, gases, haze, jpl, nasa, rondonia, rondonia brazil, serra dos parecis mountains, smoke, smoke over rondonia, smoke over rondonia brazil