The NASA GPM satellite collected detailed data on the storm's distribution and intensity of precipitation, revealing intense rain rates over 2 inches per hour. The storm's freezing level and wind gusts were also mapped, indicating heights of up to 5.6 miles and winds greater than 70 mph.
NASA engineer Justin Jones used an industrial X-ray CT scanner to evaluate volcanic rocks and other specimens, revealing previously undetected minerals and 3D arrangements. The technology has potential applications in planetary exploration, including the analysis of samples from Mars and asteroids.
Researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are developing a highly compact infrared microbolometer camera called ComCAM to study near primitive objects. The device has the potential to assist in the redirection or possible destruction of an asteroid on a collision course with Earth.
Tropical Storm Philippe developed from Tropical Depression 18, moving northeast through the Gulf of Mexico to Florida's east coast before merging with a frontal system. The remnants of Philippe dissipated over the western Atlantic Ocean, losing tropical characteristics.
Extra-Tropical Storm Saola transitioned from a tropical storm and tracked southeast of Japan, moving north of Hokkaido on October 30. The storm was east of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, with clouds stretching into the Sea of Okhotsk and northwest Pacific Ocean.
Post-tropical Cyclone Selma dissipated near the border of El Salvador and Honduras as its maximum sustained winds decreased to near 30 mph. The cyclone's estimated minimum central pressure was 1007 millibars, with weakening continuing until it dissipates over the Sierra Madre Mountains.
Tropical Depression 18 strengthened into Tropical Storm Philippe, located off Florida's east coast on Oct. 29, according to NASA's Aqua satellite analysis. The storm's cold cloud tops indicate very heavy rainfall potential.
Tropical Storm Selma has high potential for heavy rainfall due to very cold cloud top temperatures, posing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. The storm is expected to make landfall in western El Salvador on Saturday night, October 28.
NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission observed strong storms and heavy rainfall on Tropical Storm Saola, with rain rates exceeding 66 mm per hour in feeder bands. The storm showed significant structural improvement over the course of several hours, with peak intensity predicted for the following day.
The James Webb Space Telescope aligns its primary mirror segments through wavefront sensing and control, measuring imperfections with a near-infrared camera instrument. Engineers use computer algorithms to determine the mirror's shape and movement, resulting in sharp, focused images.
A proposed NASA mission employs lobster-eye optics to locate the source of gravitational waves, a key feature in understanding cosmic ripples. The Transient Astrophysics Observatory on the International Space Station aims to characterize and alert other observatories to these events.
Tropical Storm Saola continues to be affected by wind shear as it moves northwest towards the northeast, with maximum sustained winds near 45 knots. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center predicts Saola will strengthen into a typhoon.
Tropical Storm Saola is being affected by vertical wind shear and displaying powerful convective storms with rainfall rates exceeding 252 mm/h. The storm's height was measured to be above 17.5 km, indicating intense thunderstorms.
Mahmooda Sultana, a NASA research engineer, has been named IRAD Innovator of the Year for her groundbreaking work on nanomaterials and detectors. She is expanding her research to develop quantum-dot technology and 3-D printed sensor platforms.
Typhoon Lan caused extreme flooding, landslides, and seven deaths when it hit Japan. NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission analyzed the storm and found rain totals of up to 800 mm (31.5 inches) in parts of Honshu.
Tropical Storm Saola has strengthened to a tropical storm near Guam, with NASA's Aqua satellite analyzing its cloud top temperatures in infrared light. The storm is expected to continue strengthening and become a typhoon by Oct. 25, bringing strong winds and hazardous surf.
Tropical Depression 27W continues to struggle south of Guam, with vertical wind shear pushing clouds and thunderstorms away from its center. The depression is expected to consolidate and strengthen as it moves into warmer waters.
Extra-Tropical Cyclone Lan was a typhoon that made landfall in southern Tokyo on October 21-22. NASA's satellite imagery revealed the storm's structure and cloud top temperatures, with eastern Hokkaido experiencing the coldest cloud tops and strongest storms.
The Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Typhoon Lan with a well-formed, circular eye surrounded by powerful thunderstorms. The storm had maximum sustained winds near 100 knots and is forecast to make landfall south of Tokyo as a typhoon on Oct. 22.
A new tropical depression has formed in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, hours after a neighboring system dissipated. The storm is currently disorganized and moving northwest towards Guam, with maximum sustained winds near 35 knots.
Tropical Depression 26W formed on Oct. 19 near Manila, Philippines, moving northeast at 10 knots with maximum sustained winds of 25 knots. The system quickly became disorganized due to strong vertical wind shear and subsidence, leading to its rapid dissipation.
Typhoon Lan's powerful thunderstorms are stretching high into the troposphere, fueled by extremely warm ocean waters. The storm is expected to continue intensifying as it moves toward higher latitudes, potentially becoming a powerful typhoon with winds of up to 127mph.
The James Webb Space Telescope successfully tested its optics alignment using a unique 'selfie' photo. The image verified the line of sight for the telescope's cryogenic testing configuration.
Researchers used a new model to simulate atmospheric conditions in three dimensions, revealing a key role for stellar radiation in creating moist greenhouse states on exoplanets. This process could make planets closer to their stars habitable despite intense radiation and tidal forces.
The research found that Mars' magnetotail is unique, with a twist caused by magnetic reconnection between the solar wind and embedded surface fields. This process may also propel some of Mars' atmosphere into space.
A NASA study reveals that powerful solar eruptions could charge areas of the Martian moon Phobos to hundreds of volts, potentially affecting sensitive electronics. The charging effects could also affect astronauts on potential human missions to Phobos.
Tropical Storm Lan is intensifying as it moves through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, fueled by extremely high oceanic heat content. NASA's Aqua satellite data shows storm clouds with cloud top temperatures reaching minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit, capable of producing heavy rainfall.
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite provided detailed thermal and precipitation data on Hurricane Ophelia, showing extreme heavy rainfall rates of over 8.4 inches per hour. The hurricane was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone but expected to bring hurricane-force winds to Northern Ireland.
Tropical Storm Lan was formed on October 15 and is moving west-northwest over open ocean. The storm's maximum sustained winds reached 35 knots (40 mph) near Palau.
Tropical Depression Khanun began dissipating in the Gulf of Tonkin on Oct. 16, with NASA's Terra satellite capturing its fading circulation. The storm had weakened to 25 knots (28.7 mph) and was moving southwest at 3 knots.
A NASA sounding rocket instrument has spotted signatures of tiny solar flares, known as nanoflares, in the Sun's outer atmosphere. These tiny energy releases could be contributing to the high temperatures observed in the corona, with further research needed to determine their exact impact.
The Global Precipitation Measurement mission found Ophelia's heaviest rainfall south of the center, with rain falling at a rate of almost 3.2 inches per hour. The storm strengthened into a hurricane on Oct. 11, with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph and higher gusts.
Tropical Storm Ophelia was observed as a comma-like shape in NASA's infrared imagery, with cold cloud tops reaching -63°C. The storm is moving eastward at 3 mph and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane within the next 12 hours.
NASA's Aqua satellite found strongest storms in Tropical Depression 23W near northern Vietnam and northeastern Laos. Cloud top temperatures reached as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating strong storms with heavy rain capability.
Tropical Storm Ophelia developed on Oct. 9, strengthening into a tropical storm with strong thunderstorms and an eye-like feature. NASA forecasts gradual strengthening over the next 48 hours, with Ophelia expected to become a hurricane by Thursday.
NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured thermal images of cloud top temperatures from Post-tropical cyclone Nate, revealing coldest temperatures in storms over the Mid-Atlantic States. The storm brought moderate to heavy rainfall to the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic regions.
NASA's Aqua and Suomi NPP satellites analyzed cloud top temperatures in Hurricane Nate, revealing the strongest storms were near the center of the tropical cyclone. Temperatures as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit indicate strong thunderstorms capable of heavy rain.
The NASA's Aqua satellite provided valuable temperature data to forecasters, showing the strongest storms were located in Hurricane Nate's eastern side. The storm's cloud top temperatures reached as low as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit, indicating strong storms capable of heavy rain.
Tropical Storm Nate is forecasted to produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides across a wide area of Central America. The storm's center is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea, reaching the eastern coast of Mexico before moving into the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Heavy rainfall is expected to occur over a wide area, including locations well away from the center, along the Pacific coast of Central America. The tropical cyclone is forecast to strengthen as it moves over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening coastal areas from Louisiana through the Florida panhandle.
Ramon's cloud tops showed strong convection and cold temperatures, indicating a low-pressure area. The remnants are expected to dissipate later on October 5.
Scientists will use NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to study the creation of the universe's first galaxies and stars. With its powerful spectrographic instruments, Webb will see much more detail than imaging alone can provide, allowing scientists to study how gases transformed into stars in the first galaxies.
Tropical Depression 16 developed in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on Oct. 4, according to NASA imagery from Terra and Aqua satellites. The depression is forecast to bring heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash floods to parts of Nicaragua, with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph.
Tropical Storm Ramon has revealed powerful storms around its center through infrared data from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite. The storm is moving west-northwest at 7 mph, with slight strengthening forecast over the next 48 hours.
Hubble identifies potential targets for Webb using preparatory science observations, filling observational gaps in the infrared spectrum. Astronomers plan to use Hubble to survey multiple targets and determine the best strategy for Webb, optimizing observation time.
Hurricane Lee is weakening due to wind shear, with forecasters predicting gusty winds in Ireland and the UK over Sept. 30-Oct. 1. NASA satellite imagery shows the storm's disorganization, with wind shear pushing clouds to the south and southeast of the eye.
Tropical Storm Maria is being affected by wind shear, causing its strongest storms to form east of the center. The storm's motion is expected to continue east-northeast, with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph and life-threatening surf conditions along the US east coast.
British Columbia has been severely impacted by forest fires, with large portions of the landscape decimated by fire. The NASA's Aqua satellite provides a clear visual representation of the extent of the damage through its natural color and false color images.
Researchers have found that small collisions between comets and Mercury's surface create a lopsided bombardment of tiny dust particles, influencing the planet's very thin atmosphere called an exosphere. The study suggests that specific types of comets, such as Jupiter-family and Halley-type, contribute to this phenomenon.
NASA's Aqua satellite detects coldest cloud top temperatures in thunderstorms south of Hurricane Lee's center, indicating a strong storm with the capability to produce heavy rainfall. The hurricane is expected to continue weakening due to increasing wind shear and cooler waters.