Images
April 4, 2009 - Dust Plumes off Argentina
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Drought-ravaged Patagonia continued producing dust in late March 2009, continuing a pattern of activity from mid-March and late January 2009. South American crops were hit hard by drought in early 2009. Historically, Brazil and Argentina have been the world’s largest exporters of corn, after the United States. By March 2009, corn exports appeared even lower than originally forecast. Soybean crops were also expected to suffer significant declines, even though March rains brought relief to some regions. As evident from this image, however, the ground remained parched just north of Golfo San Matías.
The MODIS on the Terra satellite captured this image of a dust storm on March 28, 2009. The dust plumes arise from a multitude of source points, which look like beige pinpoints. As the dust plumes blow eastward, they fan out, forming one large, opaque plume over the Atlantic Ocean.
A little over four hours after the MODIS on the Terra satellite captured that image, the MODIS on the Aqua satellite captured the one you see here at 3:45 p.m. local time on March 28, 2009. In this shot, the day’s largest dust plume remains intact, and many smaller plumes appear to the south. All of the plumes blow eastward off the coast just north of Golfo San Matías, over the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 03/28/2009
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Drought-ravaged Patagonia continued producing dust in late March 2009, continuing a pattern of activity from mid-March and late January 2009. South American crops were hit hard by drought in early 2009. Historically, Brazil and Argentina have been the world’s largest exporters of corn, after the United States. By March 2009, corn exports appeared even lower than originally forecast. Soybean crops were also expected to suffer significant declines, even though March rains brought relief to some regions. As evident from this image, however, the ground remained parched just north of Golfo San Matías.
The MODIS on the Terra satellite captured this image of a dust storm on March 28, 2009. The dust plumes arise from a multitude of source points, which look like beige pinpoints. As the dust plumes blow eastward, they fan out, forming one large, opaque plume over the Atlantic Ocean.
A little over four hours after the MODIS on the Terra satellite captured that image, the MODIS on the Aqua satellite captured the one you see here at 3:45 p.m. local time on March 28, 2009. In this shot, the day’s largest dust plume remains intact, and many smaller plumes appear to the south. All of the plumes blow eastward off the coast just north of Golfo San Matías, over the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 03/28/2009
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
