Start Date: End Date: Published Date Data Date
Data acquired April 29, 2004 1000 x 700 135 KB - JPEG
Data acquired April 29, 2004 2000 x 1400 487 KB - JPEG
Data acquired April 29, 2004 4000 x 2800 1 MB - JPEG
The dark streak curving northeast across the Atlantic Ocean in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image is probably not significantly darker than the surrounding ocean water. Its appearance is likely to be a trick of light. The rest of the ocean is bright and silvery because of sunglint—a phenomenon that occurs when the sun’s light is reflected off a smooth surface into MODIS’ “eye.” The dark water is probably rough, so it does not reflect the light like the surrounding ocean water. The surface roughness may be related to the Gulf Stream, the northern boundary of which is near the region of dark water. The calmer waters to the south are in the lee of the Carolina coast. This image was acquired on April 29, 2004, by MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite.
Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC
Published May 13, 2004 Data acquired April 29, 2004