Images
May 1, 2011 - Fires in eastern Asia
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On April 13, 2011 the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of dozens of fires burning in eastern Asia.
The red “hotspots” mark thermal anomalies detected by sensors on the MODIS instrument, and indicate temperatures higher than background temperature. A red hotspot in an image does not always mean fire. Heat from other sources, such as volcanoes or industry may also create significant thermal anomalies. Hotspots accompanied by characteristic smoke plumes, however, can be safely interpreted as fire.
Most of the fires burn within North Korea, and stop abruptly at the borders of China (to the west) and South Korea (to the South). Russia, the country on the coast north of North Korea, also is spotted with a few fires. Smoke billows in gray plumes from the Korean fires, and coats the air above the Sea of Japan with a thick haze. Some smoke from the Russian fires may also mix in the sea haze.
Springtime in Korea, as in many parts of the world, is a time of preparation of land for agriculture and for improving pasturelands. Fire is a traditional tool for such purposes, and there are benefits to its use, but it also can be a significant source of air pollution.
The abrupt end of the fires at the borders of North Korea suggest that they are likely deliberately set, probably for agricultural or other purposes. The restriction to one country suggests that rules and traditions of the different governments and cultures may be a major determinant of fire use at this time of the year in the region.
This image is a companion image to the MODIS Image of the Day for April 28, 2011. The image displayed for that date was captured by the MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite, and shows the widespread smoke from these fires spreading across the Sea of Japan and the Japanese mainland.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/13/2011
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
On April 13, 2011 the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of dozens of fires burning in eastern Asia.
The red “hotspots” mark thermal anomalies detected by sensors on the MODIS instrument, and indicate temperatures higher than background temperature. A red hotspot in an image does not always mean fire. Heat from other sources, such as volcanoes or industry may also create significant thermal anomalies. Hotspots accompanied by characteristic smoke plumes, however, can be safely interpreted as fire.
Most of the fires burn within North Korea, and stop abruptly at the borders of China (to the west) and South Korea (to the South). Russia, the country on the coast north of North Korea, also is spotted with a few fires. Smoke billows in gray plumes from the Korean fires, and coats the air above the Sea of Japan with a thick haze. Some smoke from the Russian fires may also mix in the sea haze.
Springtime in Korea, as in many parts of the world, is a time of preparation of land for agriculture and for improving pasturelands. Fire is a traditional tool for such purposes, and there are benefits to its use, but it also can be a significant source of air pollution.
The abrupt end of the fires at the borders of North Korea suggest that they are likely deliberately set, probably for agricultural or other purposes. The restriction to one country suggests that rules and traditions of the different governments and cultures may be a major determinant of fire use at this time of the year in the region.
This image is a companion image to the MODIS Image of the Day for April 28, 2011. The image displayed for that date was captured by the MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite, and shows the widespread smoke from these fires spreading across the Sea of Japan and the Japanese mainland.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 4/13/2011
Resolutions:
1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
