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October 24, 2024 - Autumn in the Appalachian Mountains
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Oranges and reds dominated peak autumn leaf colors along the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains in mid-October 2024. Valleys and agricultural fields added bright golds and tans to the brilliantly colored fall scene.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired this true-color image centered on the Appalachian Mountains on October 21.
It is a sweeping view, capturing part of the Atlantic Ocean in the lower right (southeast) and Lake Erie in the northwest (upper left). A line of gray marks the major north-south roadways that travel along the Mid-Atlantic roughly parallel to the Atlantic coast—primarily Interstate 95. Several major cities are represented by gray bulges along the interstate. From the south they are Richmond, Virginia, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The largest estuary on the East Coast is the Chesapeake Bay and the large Susquehanna River pours into its northern end. The smaller, more sediment-laden estuary is the Delaware Bay.
The Appalachian Mountains clearly show the ridge-and-valley topography that characterizes these relatively low mountains. The ridges are forested primarily in deciduous trees while the valleys are low and filled with generally richly soiled farming areas. Each autumn, as temperatures drop and daylight grows shorter, the leaves of the deciduous trees begin to produce less chlorophyl, which is the pigment that gives them their green color. As chlorophyl begins to wane, other pigments in the leaves come to the forefront, giving a glorious and colorful show along with crisp autumn air. Meanwhile, the greens of crops grown in the valleys undergo a similar transformation, allowing their gold and tans to dominate. Together, the mountains and valleys weave a stunning tapestry of autumn color.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 10/21/2024
Resolutions:
1km (144.4 KB), 500m (366.7 KB), 250m (926.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Oranges and reds dominated peak autumn leaf colors along the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains in mid-October 2024. Valleys and agricultural fields added bright golds and tans to the brilliantly colored fall scene. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired this true-color image centered on the Appalachian Mountains on October 21.
It is a sweeping view, capturing part of the Atlantic Ocean in the lower right (southeast) and Lake Erie in the northwest (upper left). A line of gray marks the major north-south roadways that travel along the Mid-Atlantic roughly parallel to the Atlantic coast—primarily Interstate 95. Several major cities are represented by gray bulges along the interstate. From the south they are Richmond, Virginia, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The largest estuary on the East Coast is the Chesapeake Bay and the large Susquehanna River pours into its northern end. The smaller, more sediment-laden estuary is the Delaware Bay.
The Appalachian Mountains clearly show the ridge-and-valley topography that characterizes these relatively low mountains. The ridges are forested primarily in deciduous trees while the valleys are low and filled with generally richly soiled farming areas. Each autumn, as temperatures drop and daylight grows shorter, the leaves of the deciduous trees begin to produce less chlorophyl, which is the pigment that gives them their green color. As chlorophyl begins to wane, other pigments in the leaves come to the forefront, giving a glorious and colorful show along with crisp autumn air. Meanwhile, the greens of crops grown in the valleys undergo a similar transformation, allowing their gold and tans to dominate. Together, the mountains and valleys weave a stunning tapestry of autumn color.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 10/21/2024
Resolutions:
1km (144.4 KB), 500m (366.7 KB), 250m (926.8 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
