Start Date: End Date: Published Date Data Date
Data acquired April 18, 2000 7 MB - MOV
This series of images shows one example of the outstanding scientific synergy provided by Terra's sensors. The first image shows an exaggerated topography of the Indian sub-continent. The Himalayan Mountains and Tibetan Plateau are to the north, at the top of the image, while India and Pakistan are to the south. The next image shows a high concentration of water vapor, or humidity, south of the Himalayas, influenced by the topography. This humidity contributes to the growth of dense vegetation, as indicated by the darker greens in the next true color image. This lush land-scape attracts people--about a billion people reside here. The most dense concentrations of people are indicated by the reds and yellows in the next image. The following image shows how human industry produces a thick layer of haze, or aerosol particles (brown pixels), as well as relatively high levels of carbon monoxide (reds and yellows). Notice that these pollutants are framed by the topography of the Himalayas and are not allowed to spread northward to the Tibetan Plateau. The final image shows how these gases and aerosols alter the amount of sunlight that is reflected over this region.
Scientific Visualization Studio, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Published April 18, 2000 Data acquired April 18, 2000