MODIS
From INVESaTWIKI
MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)
MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) will measure the atmosphere, land and ocean processes, (including surface temperature of both the land and ocean), ocean color, global vegetation, cloud characteristics, temperature and moisture profiles, and snow cover. It will view the entire surface (land, oceans, clouds, aerosols, etc.) of the Earth every 1-2 days at a "moderate resolution" of one-quarter to one kilometer.
October 2003's massive wildfires in Southern California stripped the ground of the vegetation that holds dirt in place. The freshly exposed soil and the overlying ashes are vulnerable to winds, as this true color MODIS image shows. Here, a tan plume of dust and ash is blowing over the Pacific Ocean and San Clemente Island. In this image, newly burned areas are dark brown against the tan of the surrounding land. The sprawling grey patch along the coast is Los Angeles. Beneath the dust plume, a smaller grey area is the city of San Diego. The dust is clearly coming from the burn scar left by the Cedar fire near San Diego. The Terra satellite captured this image on November 27, 2003. [1]
This image was taken by the MODIS instrument on August 12, 2002. The image shows the Biscuit Fire, formed by the convergence of the Florence Fire and the Sour Biscuit Fire. Actively burning areas are marked with red outlines. Among other things, the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite will dramatically improve scientists' ability to monitor the daily cycles of the large-scale burning of plant biomass in regions all across the planet. Scientists will be able to better sample fire activity and improve their chances of obtaining cloud free observations of the surface. With such coverage, researchers can gather more data on how fast and in which direction fires are spreading as well as information on how severely a given fire may affect air quality of downwind urban areas. [2]
