Images
July 31, 2010 - Fires and Dust Storms in Argentina
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Several thin tendrils of gray smoke blow southward towards Laguna Mar Chiquita, Argentina as broad fans of light-colored dust rise from the lagoon’s edge in this image captured by MODIS on board NASA’s Aqua satellite as it passed over the region on July 27, 2010.
In this image, smoke appears bluish-gray in color and has a billowing appearance. Each relatively narrow plume arises from a hotspot, a bright red area on the image which depicts unusually high surface temperature. Smoke plumes arising from a hotspot strongly suggest fire, in this case most likely arising from agricultural areas.
Below the smoke, wide whitish-tan bands arise from bright white areas which encircle the blue-green water of Laguna Mar Chiquita. These areas contain salt-rich sediment which accumulates as saline water evaporates and the water level decreases in the lagoon. The sediment is easily disturbed and is often carried by the wind in large plumes of dust.
Laguna Mar Chiquita is the largest natural salt lake in Argentina. It is roughly 100 by 40 kilometers and 4 meters deep. It is fed by the Rio Dulce, known in local Quechua language as the Misky Mayu. At their source in Tucumán Province, the waters that form the Rio Dulce are fresh. As they flow 450 km southeast to empty into the Laguna Mar Chiquita in north eastern Cordoba Province, they accumulate lime and salt from the soils of the region.
Each year the lagoon’s salinity, water level and surface area changes, in part in response to the precipitation of the region and the flow of water from the Rio Dulce. Whenever the lake level recedes, the dry lakebed sediments provide rich material for dust storms. Dry conditions are also favorable for fires.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/27/2010
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Several thin tendrils of gray smoke blow southward towards Laguna Mar Chiquita, Argentina as broad fans of light-colored dust rise from the lagoon’s edge in this image captured by MODIS on board NASA’s Aqua satellite as it passed over the region on July 27, 2010.
In this image, smoke appears bluish-gray in color and has a billowing appearance. Each relatively narrow plume arises from a hotspot, a bright red area on the image which depicts unusually high surface temperature. Smoke plumes arising from a hotspot strongly suggest fire, in this case most likely arising from agricultural areas.
Below the smoke, wide whitish-tan bands arise from bright white areas which encircle the blue-green water of Laguna Mar Chiquita. These areas contain salt-rich sediment which accumulates as saline water evaporates and the water level decreases in the lagoon. The sediment is easily disturbed and is often carried by the wind in large plumes of dust.
Laguna Mar Chiquita is the largest natural salt lake in Argentina. It is roughly 100 by 40 kilometers and 4 meters deep. It is fed by the Rio Dulce, known in local Quechua language as the Misky Mayu. At their source in Tucumán Province, the waters that form the Rio Dulce are fresh. As they flow 450 km southeast to empty into the Laguna Mar Chiquita in north eastern Cordoba Province, they accumulate lime and salt from the soils of the region.
Each year the lagoon’s salinity, water level and surface area changes, in part in response to the precipitation of the region and the flow of water from the Rio Dulce. Whenever the lake level recedes, the dry lakebed sediments provide rich material for dust storms. Dry conditions are also favorable for fires.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/27/2010
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
