An Aurora & Suomi NPP

Satellites can record and collect important data but that is not all they can do.  The Suomi NPP satellite with its multiple instruments can also capture images high above the Earth that we admire and use to study space weather.  Back in the evening of October 4th, a solar flare erupted and shot particles of energy out of the sun which some of this energy was hurled towards the Earth.  This energy collides with the outer atmosphere and affects our magnetic field, and this effect causes  the Aurora Borealis also known as the Northern Lights to be seen in the Northern areas in Canada, Russia Alaska and other areas to the north. The image shown below was taken by the high resolution VIIRS.   There are other images of Auroras taken by the International Space station as well.

A recent online article on a Nasa website mentions that the solar energy particles that strike our atmosphere has an almost fluid like wave effect over the Earth.

The Weather Vane  has tools to help monitor the solar storms that create the Auroras, some of these solar storms can affect satellite communication, certain radio transmissions and in extreme cases power grids in Canada.

Here finally is the image captured by the Suomi NPP on October 8th, 2012

Background and image credit NASA  http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=79373

NPP Update - Siberia Forest Fires

It has been some time since I wrote about  NPP or now known as the S-NPP (Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership).    Forest fires in Siberia sent smoke across the Pacific Ocean where it was drifting over the U.S. and Canada.  One of the five devices on board this high tech satellite is the OMPS (Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite).  This device was used to track the smoke that was traveling such a long distance.

Here is the video from NASA about the forest fires from May, 2012.

  You must visit the NASA website to see more information;

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/siberia-smoke.html

 
 For background information, and previous posts about NPP, please visit here;
http://climatedriver.blogspot.com/2011/11/npp-status-update.html
http://climatedriver.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-global-image-from-npp.htm  l

 The NPP Poster, gives a great basic visual explanation of the instruments on board
NPP Poster

Latest update Suomi NPP

This new image was released from data captured back on January 21 - 25. 

   The CrlS is one of five instruments called the Cross-track Infrared Sounder.   The image below is from the Nasa website: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/news/cris-operational.html

The image is from 3 days of captured data and the orange colors show very warm seas surface temperatures.  The information collected from this advanced instrument will aid scientists to study and record climate data to help improve weather forecasting.

Please enjoy the high resolution infrared image.. Credit NASA/NOAA

Tropical Depression Funso - NPP Image

Latest update for the  NASA - NOAA NPP  Satellite

Tropical Depression Funso from space!

On January 23rd, the NPP captured a breathtaking image using it's on board VIIRS instrument.  The NPP in it's unique polar orbit took these images at 7918 miles above the Earth.  From earlier posts the VIIRS stands for the Visible Infrared, Radiometer Suite.  

I wait each month eager to see the next image that is posted on the NASA website from this advanced satellite.

Thank you to NASA for providing public information for this project and fantastic images from space.

 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/archives/2012/h2012_Funso.html

NPP Poster!

NASA has been passing around a poster of the NPP satellite, get yours here..

The NPP is a brand new Weather forecast and climate study satellite which has a South to North polar orbit.  It launched back on October 28th and I have been following and providing updates on it's progress.

Please click on the poster for a terrific overview of this project.

First Global Image from NPP

Another Image taken in November from Nasa's NPP Satellite.   As you can see the image is composed of thin strips as the spacecraft travels from south to north in its pole to pole trek.   Like a puzzle the image is put together to form a global map, you can see swirls of cloud formations that may have been storms at the time.

NPP Status Update

Before I wrote about the mission launch on Oct. 28th, soon after the satellite reached it's final orbit.  After review, the satellite passed it initial stages and soon it's instruments were operational.

Earlier Nasa reported that the NPP Satellite had captured it's first hi resolution image on Nov. 21st.
This image was taken by one of the five instruments on board.

Image credit - NASA - http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/news/viirs-firstlight.html

 

The one instrument called VIIRS, (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), which can detect fog at night just by reflected moonlight.  There is word that this may be able to further enhance early warning for fog alerts.  The imaging system will measure cloud and aerosol properties, ocean color, sea and land surface temperature, ice motion, fires and Earth's albedo.  Albedo is the fraction of sunlight reflected by the moon, or also known as moonlight. The NPP satellite is a big step from the satellites used back in the early eighties.

Record Rain & NPP Update

Record for rainfall achieved at 1pm today for Philly area, it is the most it had rained since 1996.   New York also broke it's record today for yearly rainfall.  The National Weather service had issued a statement that more rain will fall into the night.


Latest update for Nasa's NPP satellite, first image from NPP's  ATMS Channel 18 data. (shown below)

 The image above shows low level water vapor, tropical storm Sean is visible in this image.

ATMS stands for "The advanced Technology Microwave Sounder, which is one of 5 high-tech climate measuring instruments on board the spacecraft.  Nasa has stated that the satellite is functioning perfectly, and will review data from the other 4 sources by mid December.   NOAA director Dr. Uccellini has stated that NPP will improve weather forecasts by 5 to 7 days in advance of what was normally calculated.


I want to thank NOAA and Nasa for providing information online, which is found at; http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/news/first-light.html 

Two Satellites & a Storm

Current Weather and Technology Events

• Be aware that two fonts may meet in our area that initially there was a slight chance of forming a classic Nor'easter.  Recent weather reports do not seem to indicate this at this present time, anyway we will receive lots of rain and possible thunderstorms.  Remember that we received record rainfall last month and it would not take much rainfall to see flooding conditions. 

•  A German Xray satellite is expected to fall from its deteriorating orbit, and crash into the earth later this week. Reports state that this could occur sometime between the 21st to the 25th.  The ROSTAT satellite has been inactive for over 10 years, and it was a project managed by the US, Britain and Germany.  Nasa states that they should make a formal public announcement two hours before final reentry.

To see a detailed live tracking map of it's actual position, please click here : ROSTAT Position map

•  Nasa is launching its brand new NOAA satellite on October 27th, this will allow Meteorologists to track storms, day maybe even weeks in advance. This represents a huge step in weather safety and climate change study.  I am really excited about the change that will be seen by this new satellite.
  

Here is an informative video about the launch and the function of NPP