Images
July 18, 2016 - Dust storms off Namibia
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Dust blew off the coast of Namibia and over the South Atlantic Ocean in early July 2016. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured this true-color image on July 2. Several plumes rise from point sources in the south of the image then blow generally southwestward before spreading toward the northwest over the blue ocean waters. A thinner veil of dust streaks the skies off the northern coast.
The dust arises from the Namib Desert, which stretches hundreds of kilometers along the Namibian coast. The green, winding Kuiseb River, seen just above the point-source plumes, marks a significant change in land cover. South of the river, giant sand dunes mark the landscape and are fertile sources for plumes of dust. North of the river, the land surface is primarily gravel plains and rocky hills, with sandy terrain along the coast.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/2/2016
Resolutions:
1km (44.4 KB), 500m (145.4 KB), 250m (365.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Dust blew off the coast of Namibia and over the South Atlantic Ocean in early July 2016. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured this true-color image on July 2. Several plumes rise from point sources in the south of the image then blow generally southwestward before spreading toward the northwest over the blue ocean waters. A thinner veil of dust streaks the skies off the northern coast.
The dust arises from the Namib Desert, which stretches hundreds of kilometers along the Namibian coast. The green, winding Kuiseb River, seen just above the point-source plumes, marks a significant change in land cover. South of the river, giant sand dunes mark the landscape and are fertile sources for plumes of dust. North of the river, the land surface is primarily gravel plains and rocky hills, with sandy terrain along the coast.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 7/2/2016
Resolutions:
1km (44.4 KB), 500m (145.4 KB), 250m (365.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
