ISS002-E-6448 Click the photo number to access all resolutions available and the database record.
| ISS002 Earth Sciences Results Briefing February 14, 2002 |
| DYNAMIC EVENTS |
| Click here to view the complete online collection of astronaut photography of Earth >> |
| ISS002-E-6448 |
ISS002-E-6448 Click the photo number to access all resolutions available and the database record. |
| Equatorial Front: Central Pacific. This line in the ocean, seen in the sunglint, is oriented almost north-south. It occurs along the leading edge of a mass of colder water pushing over warmer water moving from east to west. (demonstrated in the animation of the Avg Monthly Sea Surface Temps in 1996, they appear as waves along the equator). In addition to being a shear zone where the two different water masses meet, mixing of waters along this boundary brings up nutrient-rich water from below and provides food for plankton. The plankton produce a less ruffled area on the surface causing a different reflectance from the waters surface. On the surface, this "line" can be about 1 mile across, a yellow or greenish color as compared to the surrounding waters and very noisy. This image was sent to the University of Hawaii. |
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This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science Directorate. Recommended Citation: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth." . |
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