Worldview 5

Here are some more von Karman waves to the southwest of Japan. However, this time a smaller island near the center if the image is also producing some waves, albeit much smaller.

 

 

This is a very well developed mid-latitude cyclone that is a perfect example of the type of system the Norwegian Cyclone Model is unable to fully describe, but that can be using the newer Conveyor Belt Model. Notice the size of the storm; Alaska is outlined near the top of the image while Hawaii can be seen near the very bottom.

 

 

Previously I've shown how different bands of light observed by the MODIS instrument can be used to create images that highlight the ash plume from an erupting volcano. Here the same bands are used in the lower image to highlight smoke from wildfires in Australia. The fires themselves show up as tiny bright blue dots.

 

In this image near northern Russia cloud streets reveal two flows perpendicular to each other. Notice how there is a thick line of clouds right where the northeasterly flow converges with the northwesterly flow.

 

 

This is a large iceberg floating in the Southern Ocean. On the right is a scale that gives a general idea of just how large this iceberg is.

 

 

Here, the Japanese Alps in northern Honshu are having a dramatic effect on the air flowing in from the west. Individual, particularly tall mountains have created a large series of mountain wave clouds that extend across the island and even out over the Pacific in a few cases.

 

 

This image of the Northwest Australian coast demonstrates the impact that the true color capability of MODIS. Note all the different colors where the freshwater rivers meet the ocean.

 

 

In the center of this image is Mt. Fuji, but its peak is obscured by a smooth cap cloud. These clouds, called lenticular clouds, are famous for fueling the myth of UFOs.

 

 

Many different types of cloud waves are present in the wake of the Kuril Islands, leading to a very chaotic collection of clouds.

 

 

In the center of this image is a well developed mid-latitude cyclone with an unusually high degree of symmetry. Near the top of the image is a tropical cyclone that is rapidly disintegrating due to heavy wind shear.