Internal waves in the Red Sea - related image preview

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Internal waves in the Red Sea - related image preview

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Internal waves in the Red Sea

Internal waves ruffle the waters of the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. These underwater waves travel through the boundary between layers of water of different temperature and density. They usually happen when the tide pulls the bottom layer of dense water across a rough surface. As the bottom layer undulates, it creates waves along the boundary of the surface layer of water. Because of this movement and difference in water density, internal waves can be seen from space, as shown in this true-color Terra MODIS image acquired on July 26, 2003.


Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Published July 26, 2003
Data acquired July 26 - 26, 2003

Source:
Terra > MODIS