Images
December 26, 2023 - Burn Scars in South Sudan
December 21, 2023
December 15, 2022
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On December 21, 2023, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a false-color image of South Sudan which revealed widespread burn scars surrounding the Sudd region. In this type of image, vegetation looks bright green, water is blue, open land looks tan, and burn scars (areas burnt by fire) may appear tan, brick red, or even black. The color of a burn scar varies depending on the type of soil, the completeness of the burn, how long ago the burn occurred, and various other factors. If it is large enough, active fire may appear as spots of orange.
On December 21, 2023, burn scars can be seen concentrated north of the White Nile and east of the Sudd, although a few burn scars are also seen west of the Sudd. Several active fires are visible throughout the northern burnt area.
By clicking on the appropriate date below the image, you can view a second Terra MODIS image of the same area acquired on December 15, 2022. Burn scars and active fires are visible in similar locations as in 2023, but the burn scars are much smaller and less widespread than in 2022. The Sudd appears to be more extensively flooded in 2022 as compared to the 2023 image, suggesting that heavy rains may have delayed the agricultural fire season in 2022.
The Sudd (also known as Al-Sudd) is a large area of swampy lowlands that spans about 200 miles (320 km) in width and 250 miles (400 km) in length. The Sudd sits in a shallow depression in the floodplains of the White Nile River. Abundantly filled by nearly year-round rainfall where it rises at Lake Victoria, the While Nile spills into the Sudd constantly, creating the largest swamp in Africa and one of the largest floodplain wetlands in the world. More local seasonal rains help create an annual ebb-and-flow cycle to the depth of flooding in the Sudd.
The seasonal cycle of rains in South Sudan also impacts the agricultural cycle in the rich soils surrounding the Sudd. Near the end of the dry season, typically in November and December, it is the season to prepare fields for planting and to renew pasture. One of the primary tools used to perform these tasks is fire. Agricultural fires, deliberately set and controlled to manage land, usually burn smaller areas at lower temperatures than wildfires. However, controlled fires still leave scars on the land, especially when large areas are cleared near the same time.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 12/21/2023
Resolutions:
1km (184.9 KB), 500m (487 KB), 250m (538.8 KB)
Bands Used: 7,2,1
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
December 21, 2023 December 15, 2022
On December 21, 2023, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a false-color image of South Sudan which revealed widespread burn scars surrounding the Sudd region. In this type of image, vegetation looks bright green, water is blue, open land looks tan, and burn scars (areas burnt by fire) may appear tan, brick red, or even black. The color of a burn scar varies depending on the type of soil, the completeness of the burn, how long ago the burn occurred, and various other factors. If it is large enough, active fire may appear as spots of orange.
On December 21, 2023, burn scars can be seen concentrated north of the White Nile and east of the Sudd, although a few burn scars are also seen west of the Sudd. Several active fires are visible throughout the northern burnt area.
By clicking on the appropriate date below the image, you can view a second Terra MODIS image of the same area acquired on December 15, 2022. Burn scars and active fires are visible in similar locations as in 2023, but the burn scars are much smaller and less widespread than in 2022. The Sudd appears to be more extensively flooded in 2022 as compared to the 2023 image, suggesting that heavy rains may have delayed the agricultural fire season in 2022.
The Sudd (also known as Al-Sudd) is a large area of swampy lowlands that spans about 200 miles (320 km) in width and 250 miles (400 km) in length. The Sudd sits in a shallow depression in the floodplains of the White Nile River. Abundantly filled by nearly year-round rainfall where it rises at Lake Victoria, the While Nile spills into the Sudd constantly, creating the largest swamp in Africa and one of the largest floodplain wetlands in the world. More local seasonal rains help create an annual ebb-and-flow cycle to the depth of flooding in the Sudd.
The seasonal cycle of rains in South Sudan also impacts the agricultural cycle in the rich soils surrounding the Sudd. Near the end of the dry season, typically in November and December, it is the season to prepare fields for planting and to renew pasture. One of the primary tools used to perform these tasks is fire. Agricultural fires, deliberately set and controlled to manage land, usually burn smaller areas at lower temperatures than wildfires. However, controlled fires still leave scars on the land, especially when large areas are cleared near the same time.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 12/21/2023
Resolutions:
1km (184.9 KB), 500m (487 KB), 250m (538.8 KB)
Bands Used: 7,2,1
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
