Tropical Depression Pewa dissipated over the Pacific Ocean on August 26, 2013. NASA satellite data revealed a significant decrease in rainfall by August 25, indicating the storm's weakening. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasted this outcome, and further observations confirmed the depression's waning life.
NASA's Operation IceBridge will now operate from McMurdo Station in Antarctica, expanding its reach and measuring previously inaccessible areas. The new setup aims to improve knowledge of the continent's ice mass balance.
NASA has accepted its newest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) into the network, replenishing an aging fleet essential for space exploration. The new satellite will provide critical real-time communication support for NASA's human spaceflights, International Space Station activities, and various science missions.
Four NASA satellites provided crucial data on Super-Typhoon Utor's rainfall rates, wind speeds, and storm strength. The data helped forecasters predict the typhoon's landfall and track its movement through the South China Sea.
The Gold Pan Complex Fire in Idaho burned 17,103 acres of mixed conifer forest, fueled by dead trees and insects like the mountain pine beetle. High temperatures trapped smoke in valley bottoms.
Tropical Depression 11W is organizing and strengthening in the western North Pacific Ocean, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing an infrared image of the system. Cloud top temperatures indicate strong storms, suggesting heavy rainfall rates when the depression strengthens into a tropical storm.
A NASA team outlines priorities for a future Europa lander mission to study its potential habitability. The mission would investigate the composition and chemistry of Europa's ocean and the thickness, uniformity, and dynamics of its icy shell.
A University of Oklahoma-led research team has been awarded a $750,000 grant to develop a novel, self-sustaining energy storage system. The project aims to create nanobatteries that can be charged by photovoltaic systems, increasing capacity and reducing size for increased scientific payloads in satellites and rovers.
NASA's TRMM and Aqua satellites observed Tropical Storm Gil intensifying into a hurricane, with the storm being pursued by another developing system. The satellite imagery revealed that the cloud pattern of Gil was not as organized as initially thought, with some areas showing less intense storms.
The TESS mission will map the locations of over 500 transiting exoplanets, including small planets around bright stars. This is the first time NASA has studied a large number of small planets with advanced instruments.
The Sunnyside Turnoff Fire in northern Oregon burned over 48,916 acres by July 26, 2013, with 40% containment. The fire was caused by human activity and affected the Warm Springs area, leading to evacuations and public closures.
NASA's AIRS instrument captured an infrared image of newborn Tropical Storm Dorian on July 25, revealing strong storms and heavy rains near the center and a band of thunderstorms south of it. The storm is moving west-northwest across the Atlantic, with forecasters expecting fluctuations in intensity over the next couple of days.
The article highlights NASA's Hubble Space Telescope's incredible view of Comet ISON against a vast backdrop of galaxies and stars. The comet appears to be swimming through the cosmos despite its immense distance from Earth, showcasing the telescope's unparalleled resolution.
Forest fires are burning north and east of Russia's Irkutsk Oblast in southeastern Siberia, affecting recreational areas and the nearby town of Mirny, home to the world's largest diamond mine. The MODIS instrument detected heat from various wildfires using its infrared capabilities.
The Mountain Fire in California is a raging wildfire that has destroyed residences and commercial buildings, with some homes saved by firefighters. The fire is being fought by 2241 personnel, including aircraft, engines, and hand-crews, in the San Jacinto Wilderness.
A NASA team has successfully grown uniform layers of carbon nanotubes using atomic layer deposition, enabling the growth of these forests on three-dimensional components like baffles and tubes. This innovation promises to make spacecraft instruments more sensitive without enlarging their size.
In July 2013, NASA's Aqua satellite captured images of numerous uncontained fires in the Yukon territory, with over 329,000 acres burned. The region has seen significant wildfires, with 133,166 hectares burned this year to date.
Tropical Storm Chantal weakened to a remnant low pressure area over Hispaniola on July 10, with NASA tracking its demise. The storm brought heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the region, and its remnants are expected to affect Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas.
The NASA Aura satellite detected high nitrogen dioxide levels from the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona, indicating a large amount of combustible material was burned. The fire has consumed over 8,000 acres and forced evacuations in nearby towns.
The Silver Fire, burning in southern New Mexico's Gila National Forest, has consumed over 133,625 acres as of July 1. The fire, caused by a lightning strike on June 7, is partially contained at 50 percent.
Hurricane Cosme weakened after being tracked by NASA satellites, causing strong winds on Clarion Island, Mexico. The storm was expected to continue weakening and drop to tropical depression status on June 27.
Landsat 5, operated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, set the record for the longest-operating Earth observation satellite with 28 years of service. The center also hosted the largest astronomy lesson event, breaking a Guinness World Record with over 500 participants in Austin, Texas.
The Fourmile fire in Arizona and Silver Fire in New Mexico are two major wildfires burning in the region. The fires, which were started by lightning strikes, have grown to over 5,000 acres in size and pose a high risk of growth due to extreme weather conditions.
NASA's TRMM satellite measured rainfall totals of 400-600 mm over Cuba and the southeast Gulf of Mexico, with widespread flooding reported in western Cuba. Along Andrea's track, rainfall amounts were lighter, ranging from 45-150 mm over parts of South Carolina, eastern Georgia, and coastal North Carolina.
Seventy-seven wildfires have been reported in Saskatchewan, with the largest burning over 247 acres. The province's 'observation zone' policy allows fires to burn naturally, reducing suppression costs.
Tropical Storm Andrea featured towering thunderstorms with cloud top temperatures above -63F (-52C) and heaviest precipitation over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and southeastern Florida. TRMM satellite data revealed a large area of moderate to heavy rainfall in the storm's northeast quadrant, spreading over Florida.
Heavy rainfall rates were detected in Tropical Storm Andrea by NASA's TRMM satellite, with rates reaching up to 5 inches per hour in the southern part of the storm. The storm intensified into a tropical storm on June 5, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph.
The NASA-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite captured an image of the Powerhouse Fire in California at night. The high-sensitivity instrument detected the fire using illumination from natural and man-made sources, revealing its large impact on city lights and surrounding landscape.
Multiple wildfires burned in eastern China, producing massive smoke plumes detected by NASA's Aqua satellite. The MODIS instrument revealed hot spots as red areas and smoke as light brown areas.
The NASA MASTER instrument captured a color composite image of the Powerhouse Fire in California, showing heat intensity in different colors. The pixel resolution is 50 meters, with bands used for red, green, and blue infrared light.
The Thompson Ridge Fire, located in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, has burned approximately 1,906 acres as of May 31, 2013. The Tres Lagunas Fire, started by a downed power line, has burned over 7,400 acres and is currently uncontained.
The Tres Lagunas Fire has burned over 7,476 acres in New Mexico and forced evacuations for hundreds of homes and primary residences. The fire started on May 30 due to a downed power line and is currently uncontained.
Hurricane Barbara made landfall along Mexico's southern Pacific coast, with NASA-NOAA satellites capturing its movement and rainfall rates. The storm weakened into a tropical depression after making landfall, with remnants dissipating over the western Gulf of Mexico.
The USGS has taken operational control of Landsat 8, the latest in a series of remote-sensing satellites that have been monitoring Earth's landscape since 1972. With this shift, at least 400 scenes will be collected daily to be processed and archived, supporting scientific research and decision-making on environmental issues.
The HS3 mission will investigate hurricane formation and intensity change in the Atlantic Ocean basin using two unmanned Global Hawk aircraft. The aircraft will be equipped with advanced instruments to measure eyewall and rainband winds, precipitation, and atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles.
The HS3 mission will explore tropical cyclones of Cape Verde origins, including Hurricane Nadine in 2012. Researchers hope to obtain a more complete data set to better understand hurricane formation and intensity changes.
The NASA-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite captured lightning observations after the tornado dissipated, revealing that the thunderstorm complex was still active at night. The storm system continued through the region, with another satellite capturing an image of the powerful storm at night.
Tropical Storm Alvin was the first to be named in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, as observed by NASA's Aqua satellite. The storm showed bands of thunderstorms wrapping into its low-level center, strengthening further over May 16.
Cyclone Mahasen is strengthening in the Bay of Bengal, with NASA satellites tracking its movement and predicting a large storm surge along the Bangladeshi coastline. Heavy rainfall totals over 500 mm have been recorded in the northern Indian Ocean, posing significant flooding risks for residents in coastal areas.
The 2012-2013 first place team in the NASA RealWorld-InWorld Engineering Design Challenge consists of five high school juniors and seniors who developed innovative engineering designs for the James Webb Space Telescope. The winning team will present their design concept to Dr. John Mather at a VIP event at NASA Goddard.
Fermi's spacecraft dodged a catastrophic 1.5-ton bullet from the defunct spy satellite Cosmos 1805, avoiding an extremely close encounter. The successful maneuver was executed after NASA's CARA team predicted the potential collision just one week in advance.
A NASA-University of Iowa collaboration uses ground instruments and satellite observations to improve flood forecasting. The study evaluates the accuracy of NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission satellite rainfall data.
Two CMEs sent by the sun are hurtling towards Mercury at speeds of approximately 500 miles per second. These solar phenomena may pose a risk to NASA's Messenger and STEREO-A spacecraft due to potential particle radiation effects.
Experimental NASA research models show that three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have erupted from the sun, with speeds of up to 625 miles per second. The CMEs may pass by NASA's Messenger and STEREO-A satellites, posing a risk of particle radiation to interplanetary spacecraft.
Cyclone Victoria was torn apart by strong wind shear, with TRMM spotting limited rainfall areas. The storm dissipated due to interaction with cool waters.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured images of Cyclone Imelda on April 11, revealing a well-developed storm with tightly-curved bands of thunderstorms. The storm turned to the south due to wind shear, with powerful thunderstorms dropping heavy rainfall and having cloud top temperatures colder than -63 Fahrenheit.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured smoke and heat signatures from fires in Victoria's national parks on April 9, 2013. The affected areas include Snowy River, Errinundra, and Coopracamba National Parks.
Researchers found a new class of dust motion on the moon, where charged particles swarm like bees around partially shaded regions. This phenomenon creates oscillations over 1-10 meter-sized shaded regions, with dust bouncing back and forth between sunlit areas.
The Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) mission will demonstrate laser communications from lunar orbit to Earth at six times the rate of modern-day radio systems. The system uses a highly reliable infrared laser and sophisticated pointing technology to accurately target ground stations across distances of up to 238,900 miles.
A powerful Nor'easter merged two low-pressure areas on March 6, bringing winter weather advisories to the Mid-Atlantic. NASA provided satellite views of the storm's power and movement, showing the heaviest precipitation over New Jersey and Maryland.
Hurricane Sandy caused significant damage to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, removing protective berm and beach erosion. The facility is now working to conduct an out-of-cycle beach replenishment and repair the damaged berm.
Suomi NPP, a partnership between NASA and NOAA, supports Earth science research and weather forecasting by providing critical data for global change science and improving short-term weather forecasts. The satellite's observations help advance science and increase the accuracy of meteorological predictions.
Cyclone Rusty intensified as it approached landfall in Western Australia, with NASA satellites observing increased power and cloud height. The storm's slow movement meant more rainfall, flooding potential, and rough surf along the Pilbara coast.
Cyclone Haruna is being blown apart several hundred miles away from La Reunion Island due to increasing wind shear. The storm's eye has elongated as a result of wind shear, causing the main precipitation to be pushed south of the center.
Cyclone Haruna strengthened into a cyclone with a wide-eyed eye visible on NASA's Aqua satellite. Heavy rainfall was detected by TRMM satellite, with cloud top temperatures colder than -63F (-52C). The storm is expected to make a brief landfall near Androka in Madagascar as it moves southeast into the southern Indian Ocean.
The James Webb Space Telescope will be displayed life-size at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, featuring exhibits and educational activities for all ages. The telescope model weighs 12,000 lbs. and is being assembled at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Researchers found a 36% autumn and 9% winter decline in Arctic sea ice volume over the last decade. The study builds on previous studies using submarine and NASA satellite data, verifying compatibility with CryoSat-2 satellite measurements.
NASA released an animation of NOAA satellite imagery showing the lifetime of the historic nor'easter that brought over 2 feet of snow to New England states on Feb. 8-9, 2013. The storm left over 650,000 without power and led to travel bans in several governors' states.
Scientists successfully demonstrated a new X-ray camera, STORM, that observed charge exchange processes near Earth's magnetosphere. This technology provides insights into the physical process and can help determine space weather in our solar system.
In 2012, the James Webb Space Telescope made significant progress with the delivery of two primary mirrors, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), and the Fine Guidance Sensor and Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (FGS/NIRISS). The telescope's center section backplane structure was also completed, supporting the mirrors and o...