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In June 2008, intense rains brought flooding to many parts of the mid-western United States. NASA's Terra satellite captured these false-color images over Iowa City. Areas covered by vegetation are red, water is deep blue to black, and flooded areas are bluish-gray.
Images courtesy of Jesse Allen, NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.
More about ASTER
Launched June 20, 2008, the Jason-2 satellite is a joint U.S./French mission to monitor global sea level changes. Continuing the work of the Topex/Poseidon and Jason-1 satellites, Jason-2 will take precise measurements of sea surface height. This data will help us better understand ocean circulation, climate change, and sea level rise.
Artist's concept courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech
More about Jason-2
On May 12, 2008, a massive earthquake struck China’s Sichuan Province. The magnitude 7.9 quake was felt throughout much of the country as well as parts of neighboring Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. China’s Beichuan County experienced extensive damage as landslides along the region’s steep valleys engulfed whole mountainsides.
Taiwan's Formosat-2 satellite captured these before and after images.
Images courtesy of Dr. Cheng-Chien Liu, National Cheng-Kung University and Dr. An-Ming Wu, NSO, Taiwan
More about Formosat-2
Before and After Tropical Cyclone Nargis
Ikonos satellite images courtesy of Geoeye/CRISP-Singapore
On May 3, 2008, Tropical Cyclone Nargis struck the southeast Asian country of Myanmar. With winds up to 193 kilometers (120 miles) per hour, the cyclone ripped roofs off of buildings and knocked out the electricity in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. The storm hit the country's Irrawaddy River delta the hardest. Home to as many as 6 million people, this agricultural area was once the world's top rice producer. The entire lower portion of the delta is now underwater. The vast rice fields are gone and over 40,000 people are missing.
NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of Nargis the day before landfall.
Image courtesy of Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
More about Terra
On October 3, 2007, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) turned its high-resolution imager HiRISE toward home, capturing this amazing view of the Earth and our Moon.
MRO achieved orbit of Mars in September 2006. For one Martian year (nearly two Earth years) HiRISE will study the planet's surface, and the spacecraft's sounding radar SHARAD will map geologic deposits beneath the surface.
Two scientists from the National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies are involved with the mission. Dr. John Grant is a HiRISE co-investigator, and Dr. Bruce Campbell is on the SHARAD science team.
Image courtesy of NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory-Caltech/University of Arizona
More about MRO
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