Dust storms off West Africa

Dust storms regularly sweep out over the Atlantic Ocean from the Sahara Desert at this time of year, sometimes blowing all the way to North and South America. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from the Terra satellite on June 4, 2003, shows a large plume of dust billowing over Senegal and Gambia on the West African coastline. In the coastal waters to the north, colorful blooms of marine organisms color the waters a bright aquamarine.

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Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Published June 5, 2003
Data acquired June 4 - 4, 2003

Source:

Terra > MODIS

Topics:

Atmosphere > Aerosols > Dust/Ash

Biosphere > Terrestrial Ecosystems > Deserts

Biosphere > Terrestrial Habitat > Desert

Collection:

MODIS Rapid Response