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Clouds over Ice

In a photo-like satellite image, the faintest of shadows or shading of grey may give them away, but more often, clouds over the poles simply disappear against the background, camouflaged from the satellite’s view by the underlying snow and sea ice. For those trying to track clouds from space, to understand cloud physics, say, or to predict the weather, the problem is frustrating. Only with a combination of visible and invisible wavelengths of light, such as infrared light, do clouds become distinct from the snow and ice below.


NASA images by Robert Simmon and Jesse Allen, based on MODIS data.

Published February 3, 2007
Data acquired June 21, 2006

Source:
Terra > MODIS